Several organizations have called for a 12-hour Assam bandh on January 27 opposing formation of Union Territorial Council (UTC), covering BTAD and three other districts of Assam.

The call for the bandh comes at a time when the Centre gets ready to sign another Accord with all the factions of the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) in New Delhi.

It has been reported that as part of the Accord likely to be signed on January 27, the Centre may grant formation of a Union Territorial Council (UTC) covering the four districts under Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) and 3 other districts.

Also read: No creation of Union Territorial Council in Bodoland

The three other districts, which would reportedly come under the UTC, are Sonitpur, Biswanath and Lakhimpur districts.

The bandh has been called by various organizations including All Koch Rajbongshi Students’ Union (AKRSU), Nath-Yogi Students’ Union, All All Bodo Minority Students’ Union (ABMSU), All Adivasi Students’ Union, Oboro Suraksha Samiti and Kalita Janagoshthi Students’ Union.

Leaders of all the factions of the NDFB including NDFB-S (Saoraigwra), NDFB-P (Progressive, NDFB-R (Ranjan Daimary) and NDFB Govinda Basumatary faction are currently camping in New Delhi.

The organizations, which have called for the bandh, resolved that they would continue to protest against the formation of UTC from January 27 until the government discusses the issues of the non-Bodo people living in the region in the political level.

The organizations also demanded that the Kamatapur Liberation Organisation (KLO), which has continued an armed struggle for a separate Kamatapur state since 1993, be invited for peace talks to solve the long-pending issue.

However, officials in the ministry of home affairs (MHA) told Northeast Now that the reports of creation of Union Territorial Council (UTC) in BTAD are absolutely wrong.

Sources said the Centre will sign a peace Accord with NDFB militants on Monday in Delhi in the presence of union home minister Amit Shah.

According to MHA sources, there is absolutely no possibility of creating a separate Bodoland state or UTC as part of the peace Accord.