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Ex-NDFB Welfare Association Appeals for General Amnesty for Detained Members

By AT Kokrajhar Bureau |

The ex-National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) Welfare Association has called for general amnesty for all leaders, members, and cadres still imprisoned despite the BTR Peace Accord signed on January 27, 2020.

A six-member delegation from the association met AK Mishra, Adviser to the North East Division, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), in New Delhi, submitting a memorandum addressed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The delegation, led by President Rujugra Mwchahary and General Secretary Dilranjan Narzary, highlighted concerns about detained individuals, including Ranjan Daimari, founding President of the former NDFB and a signatory to the peace accord, who remains in Guwahati Central Jail.

The memorandum underscored Clause 9.4 of the accord, which mandates the dismissal of non-heinous criminal cases against NDFB members. However, many such cases remain unresolved. Heinous cases are to be evaluated individually, with the association urging a sympathetic approach towards granting general amnesty in line with the accord’s spirit.

The association noted that an appeal (Criminal Appeal No. 1706/2023) in the Guwahati High Court is pending before the Supreme Court, with a hearing for interim bail scheduled for November 20, 2024. The prolonged detention of Daimari and others has caused significant concern within the Bodo community.

The memorandum also pointed to Clause 10.2, which calls for recruitment drives to increase Bodo representation in the Indian Army, paramilitary, and state police forces. The association urged the Home Minister to implement special recruitment initiatives to include ex-NDFB members and the families of martyrs in government positions.

According to Clause 9.2 of the BTR Accord, rehabilitation of cadres was promised through measures such as ex-gratia payments, economic aid, vocational training, and job placements. The association appealed for the transfer of legal proceedings for imprisoned members to Assam’s courts to expedite trials and ensure timely justice.

The association emphasized the need for the government to implement the peace accord provisions effectively for lasting peace and stability in the Bodoland region.

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