Sing protest anthem amid police intervention
Staff reporter
Guwahati: Tensions flared near Rabindra Bhawan on Sunday as students from Cotton University, B. Borooah College, and other city institutions staged a peaceful protest opposing the felling and translocation of decades-old trees around Dighalipukhuri. The demonstration was in response to the GNB Road flyover project, which has triggered widespread concerns over environmental degradation in the heart of Guwahati.
Protesters held placards and chanted slogans like “Save Dighalipukhuri’s Green Cover,” accusing authorities of pursuing reckless urban development at the cost of the city’s ecological heritage. The protest took a dramatic turn when police arrived on the scene and reportedly attempted to disperse the gathering, leading to a tense verbal standoff. In a powerful moment of resistance, students broke into Bhupen Hazarika’s protest anthem “Aah Aah Olai Aah,” turning the confrontation into a symbolic stand for environmental justice. “They may try to silence us, but they can’t mute our resolve,” said one protester. “These trees are not just greenery, they’re part of who we are.” The incident comes amid growing public outrage over the cutting and “translocation” of mature trees along the Dighalipukhuri-Ambari stretch. While the government insists the trees are being preserved through relocation, environmentalists and civil society members remain doubtful, pointing to the low survival rate of such practices. With the student protest adding fresh momentum, more demonstrations are likely in the coming days. Citizens are demanding a re-evaluation of the flyover project, with calls for greater transparency, public consultation, and long-term environmental safeguards.
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