Assam: Bandh affects normal life across state

23 July 2018:

Normal life was severely affected on Monday during the 12-hour “Assam bandh” which was called by six organisations demanding scheduled tribe (ST) status to six communities.

The bandh supporters took to the streets at various places and staged protests by burning tyres and chanting slogans against the Centre. Attendance in government offices, banks and other financial institutions and schools and colleges was very thin while vehicles of all modes, except those belonging to security personnel and emergency services, remained off the roads.

In Tinsukia district, the bandh supporters registered their protest by burning tyres of National Highway-37 and in front of the office of Divisional Railway Manager. Protests were also staged in Margherita, Merapani and Jagun.

In Golaghat, where the bandh was total, the protesters chanted slogans demanding ST status and their decision to abstain from voting in next year’s Lok Sabha election.

The bandh, however, had no impact in Guwahati. Protests were also staged in the capital city but the functioning in government offices and educational institutes was normal. Vehicles, including private buses, also plied.

Initially, the All Assam Tai Ahom Students’ Union (AATASU) along with six other organisations had declared a 48-hour bandh. Later, they reduced the bandh period to 12 hours.

Talking to InsideNe, AATASU vice president Basanta Gogoi said: “We did not reduce the period of bandh on the basis of our talk with any government officials. We reduced it for the convenience of students as HSLC compartmental exams were on and there is also some other entrance exams on Tuesday”.