Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) president Hagrama Mohilary has asked the Central government to bestow Bharat Ratna posthumously on Upendranath Brahma.
Revered as Bodofa — father of the community — Brahma had spearheaded the Bodoland statehood movement that led to the creation of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) in February 2003.
The BPF, a minor partner in the Assam government led by the BJP, had an uninterrupted reign in the BTC until Governor’s Rule was imposed after the expiry of its last five-year term.
The BTC covers four of Assam’s 33 districts.
“Bodofa has always remained an icon of Bodo leadership, sacrifice and unity. ‘Live and let live’ was his mantra and he made relentless efforts to fulfil the Bodo aspirations. To honour his work and sacrifice, we demand from the Centre to bestow the Bharat Ratna upon him,” said Mr. Mohilary.
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Mr. Brahma, who led the All Bodo Students’ Union, ignited the Bodoland movement in 1987. He was 34 when he died of cancer three years later.
Mr. Mohilary said Bodofa had led a democratic mass movement for a separate state within the ambit of the Constitution. “He dreamt of not only uplifting the Bodos but the entire backward classes, and to realise this dream he brought a revolutionary change in society,” he said.
“It is time we showed our gratitude towards Bodofa for the development we are witnessing today,” the former Chief Executive Member of the BTC said.
He hoped President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi would confer the award on him and keep alive his thoughts and philosophy.
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