Bodo leaders meet Home Minister; Demand separate state

NEW DELHI: Intensifying their demand for Bodoland, a delegation of Bodo leaders today met Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde and urged him to take urgent steps for creation of the new state bifurcating Assam as in the case of Telangana.

Led by Bodoland People's Front chief Hagrama Mohilary, the delegation told the Home Minister that their demand for a separate Bodoland state was one of the oldest in the country.

In a memorandum, Mohilary said the Bodoland Territorial Council was created in 2003 under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution and the Bodo leaders were informed at that time that there was no policy to create new state and hence Bodoland could not be granted a full state.

"We welcome creation of new state of Telanagana. However, we feel it is discrimination against people of Bodoland. In case Bodoland is not given similar treatment, the Bodo people are likely to start a mass movement," he said.

Mohilary said Shinde gave them a patient hearing and assured them to consider their demand.