The Bodo National Movement

1. Division of Assam

2. Origin of the Bodos

3. Origin of the Movement:

4. Bodoland Demand

Bodoland Demand

Kokrajhar and Darrang became the epicentre of millitant struggle during the Bodo Movement of 1987. The ABSU had 92 demands which could be summerised into three political issues:
(1) Formation  of a separate  state  named Bodoland on the north  bank of the Brahmaputra;  (2) Establishment  of autonomous  district  councils  in the tribal dominant  areas on the south  bank of the Brahmaputra;  and (3) Incorporation of the Bodo Kacharis of Karbi Anglong in the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. ¹

1. George, Sudhir Jacob (1994) The Bodo Movement in Assam: Unrest to Accord Asian Survey - Vol. 34, No. 10, pp. 878-892 University of California Press

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Origin of Bodo National Movement

The Bodos had been demanding separate homeland while being under the British rule. But the process of organizing themselves dates back only to the 1930s and the 60s.

In the 19th century many Bodos were being converted into Christianity by the British and the American missionaries. Being educated by these missionaries, several Bodo leaders started to ask for preserving their language and for other concesssions in 1929. That was the beginning of the Bodo National Movement. In 1930,  for the first time the Bodos came out with the proposal for a separate state outside Assam.¹

In 1967, the Bodos formed a political organization called PTCA (Plains Tribals Council of Assam) enticed by the formation of Nagaland in 1963. PTCA aimed for a union territory for the Bodos and also for other plains tribals of the union called Udayachal.
Another potent organization called the "All Bodo Students' Union"(ABSU) was constituted in 1967 with the objective of separate state in collaboration with the PTCA. But later, the ABSU recognized that PTCA could no longer take hard-hitting steps to fulfill their dreams and so they started to function separately. The PTCA themselves split up in 1984 when the "United Tibal Nationalists` Liberation Front"(UTNLF) was formed under the leadership of one of the millitant leaders of the PTCA, Binai Khungur Basumatary. From then onwards UTNLF had been supporting the ABSU seeking the same goal for a separate state.

During the 1980s, a majority of the Bodo youth supported the mass movement for the eviction of foreign nationals and for a greater autonomy which was led by All Assam Students Union (AASU) and Asom Gana Parishad(AGP). The movement led to the signing of Assam Accord in 1985 and the formation of a new AGP Government in 1986. However, the Bodos started to believe that the new govt. couldn't fulfil their long standing demands.

As a result, in March 2, 1987, the ABSU, which had become quite popular by that time, launched a movement for a full fledged Bodoland. ¹

1. Minanhan,J(2002) Encyclopedia of the Stateless Nations: Ethnic and National Groups Around the World, Greenwood Publishing Group
2. George, Sudhir Jacob (1994) The Bodo Movement in Assam: Unrest to Accord Asian Survey - Vol. 34, No. 10, pp. 878-892 University of California Press

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Origin of the Bodos

The Bodos are Indo Mongoloids of Tibeto-Burman origin. They have been residing in Assam even before the Ahoms.¹ Bodos were once the sole inhanbitants of the upper Assam(the region on the north of Brahmaputra) - The Bodos were dominant in Assam until they came under the British rule in 1825. Immigration over the past century however has rendered them minority in their homeland ² .  At present, Bodos mostly reside above the bank of Brahmaputra in Baksa, Chirang, Kokrajhar, and Udalguri district of Assam.

1. George, Sudhir Jacob (1994) The Bodo Movement in Assam: Unrest to Accord Asian Survey - Vol. 34, No. 10, pp. 878-892 University of California Press 
2. Minanhan,J(2002) Encyclopedia of the Stateless Nations: Ethnic and National Groups Around the World, Greenwood Publishing Group

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Division of Assam

Since the dawn when India achieved independence from the British rule, Assam had been afflicted by its own tale of freedom fights. The Nagas carved out Nagaland, the Khasis, Garos and the Jayantias carved out Meghalaya, the Manipuris carved out Manipur, the Mizos carved out Mizoram from Assam. Being slimmed after the cleavages, Assam yet faces minefields of divisions. One of the most striking approaches for Independence has been made by the Bodos.

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The seven sister states

The seven sister states: The North-Eastern region of India known for its scenic beauty and colourful cultures of different tribes has been a land almost obscure. Before India became free from British rule the North-East comprised mainly of three states viz., Assam, Tripura and Manipur. Later, four new composite states from Assam namely, Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh were recognized. Now, the North-East comprises of seven states viz., Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura and they are commonly known as the “Seven Sisters”. The term seven sisters originally emerged during a radio talk by Jyoti Prasad Saikia, a journalist from Tripura who also wrote a book on the Land of Seven Sisters.

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Daimalu

Jwhwlao Daimalu is arguably one of the greatest legends in Boro History. There are some myths which  have descended through generations. Some Boro schoolbooks may mention caboodle about him. How about a fable from a newspaper article!

Jwhwlao Daimalu was a brave soldier of King Iragdao's army. He was the commander in chief of the Boro army who is deemed to have defeated Burma and brought white elephants as tokens of victory. Then, it all happened that his colleagues became jealous of his power and popularity. They made the King turn against him and let him put to prison. They tried various ways to kill him, at one instance they even tried running elephants over him but Jwhwlao could not be killed. The mainspring behind Jwhwlao’s power could be attributed to the blessings from God which he had achieved in his dreams. Finally, through Jwhwlao’s step mother the officials discovered that Daimalu could be killed only if they poured molten lead into his ears. Before Jwhwlao breathed his last, he cursed that the Boros would never prosper and that they would always end up fighting amongst themselves.

I’ve always wondered what daimalu mean literally. Finally, I came out with a conclusion: dai(dwi) means water, dwima means a large river and daimalu may mean someone who keeps a grand heart.