The newly-appointed All Bodo Students’ Union (Absu) top brass on Saturday urged the Centre for early withdrawal of criminal cases filed against the NDFB members who laid down arms recently and their rehabilitation.

Speaking at the union’s 53rd foundation day celebration at Bodofa House in Kokrajhar, Absu president Dipen Boro said, “According to Clause 9.2 of the Bodo Accord signed between the Union government and Bodo stakeholders on January 27, we exhort the government to do the needful for early rehabilitation of NDFB members.”

Referring to the resolutions adopted in Absu’s special convention at Tamulpur in Baksa district on February 12 and 13, it urged early implementation of Clause 9.4 of the pact, which refers to withdrawal of criminal cases against members of all NDFB factions through “procedure established by law”, bring home all NDFB members and some civilians from the custody of foreign countries and take initiative to withdraw cases registered abroad.

Boro welcomed the pact and said the union would work for enduring peace and harmony in the Bodo belt and the rest of Assam. He appealed to the Centre and the state government to implement all clauses of the BTR Accord in letter and spirit, to fulfil the hopes and aspirations of Bodo people and others living in the Bodoland Territorial Council area, and to constitute the proposed Bodo-Kachari Welfare Council in Assam.

Earlier, Absu general secretary Lawrence Islary hoisted the organisational flag followed by floral tributes to Bodofa Upendra Nath Brahma, founder president Baneswar Basumatary, general secretary Kanakeswar Narzary and Sujit Narzary, the first martyr of the movement for a separate Bodoland.

On the other hand, sources said former Absu president Pramod Boro may join the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL), led by former Rajya Sabha MP Urkhao Gwra Brahma, ahead of the BTC polls scheduled in April.

Pramod has been attending a series of public rallies welcoming the Bodo pact since his resignation as Absu president during the Tamulpur convention. On Saturday, he attended a rally at Mushalpur in Baksa district along with NDFB (P) “publicity secretary”, B. Bodosa, and some local UPPL leaders.

“The Bodo pact will provide right to dignity to everyone and will go a long way in protecting the language, culture and ethnic identity of all communities living in the Bodo belt,” he said.

“The people of the region are batting for a change of guard in the BTC polls as there is an anti-incumbency wave against the ruling BPF. The signatories of the pact must be given the responsibility as the people have lost faith in the party led by Hagrama Mohilary,” he added.

Lambasting the BPF, he said, “There is deep-rooted corruption in the BTC and central government funds have been misused. The CAG report of 2017 also unearthed a scam and misappropriation of funds. My only interest is all-round growth and development of the Bodo community. There are many in politics but leaders ought to be working for the society.”

The BPF, an ally of the BJP, has 27 members, the UPPL seven, the BJP one and there are five Independents, in the 40-member BTC council.