Bodoland Movement: A Historical Perspective

The Bodoland movement that began in 2^nd March, 1987 was basically the product of Socio-political change among the Bodos which led to the identity articulation. Though the Bodos had their own kingdoms in different historical periods, their last kingdom was annexed by the British in 1854. During the Colonial rule up to the early part of 20^th century the Bodos remained socio-economically very backward and therefore some Bodo historian termed this period as ‘Darkest’ period of Bodo History. The economic backwardness and exploitation, the influx or immigration problem, land alienation, identity crisis, linguistic and cultural assimilation policies, political domination by the ruling clique etc. made the Bodos to rise from the suppression and oppression which eventually created favourable atmosphere for social and political movements and as such the Bodoland Movement became the testimony which was not emerged out of a vacuum but through a process of long series socio-economic and political changes and upheavals among the Bodos. The methodology adopted in this paper is interdisciplinary.