ABSU urges Centre, Assam govt to release Ranjan Daimary

The All Bodo Students' Union (ABSU) has appealed to the Centre and the Assam government to release NDFB(R) chief Ranjan Daimary, who was one of the signatories to the Bodo Peace Accord. Daimary is serving life sentence for his involvement in the 2008 serial blasts in Assam in which 88 people were killed. The militant leader, who was released on bail two days ahead of the signing of the Accord on January 27, was sent back to jail on February 20.

ABSU president Dipen Boro, in a press note issued here on Saturday, urged the central and the state governments to release Daimary "in the interests of implementing the Accord and for lasting peace" in Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) of Assam. "ABSU appeals... for the greater interest of the implementation of the Accord and peacebuilding process and giving the mark of respectable opportunity for the leadership of NDFB to join the mainstream through the Accord after they have shunned the path of armed struggle," the release said.

The Accord was signed between the Centre, the Assam government, all the four factions of the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB), the ABSU and civil society group United Bodo People's Organisation. Other NDFB factions have also sought the immediate release of Daimary and warned of protests if the demand was not met. The ABSU, in the release, also condemned the recent killing of a person in Udalguri district, that falls under BTR. The students' body demanded stern action against those responsible for the incident. It said that the killing was attempted at destabilising the atmosphere in BTR and also appealed to all the communities to maintain peace in the region.