STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: On the second day of the ongoing Assam Assembly session, several organizations staged protests in the city’s Chachal area.
Activists of the All Assam Adarani Drivers’ Association (AAADA) staged their protest under the banner of the Assam unit of All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC). AITUC, on behalf of the drivers’ body, submitted a memorandum signed by its general secretary Ramen Das, which was addressed to the Chief Minister.
In the memorandum, the drivers’ issues were laid out, along with their demands, for the consideration of the Chief Minister. It was pointed out that the Adarani ambulance scheme was withdrawn from January 1, 2023. At that time, around 350 vehicles were operating and providing service to pregnant women, for free transportation to and from the hospitals both before and after delivery. But following a cabinet decision, the scheme was withdrawn and Rs 700 was provided to the pregnant women whenever necessary. Due to this move by the government, all the Adarani drivers and related employees, who had been working for as long as 10 years, lost their jobs at a time when they had already crossed the maximum age limit for government jobs.
The drivers had met with the National Health Mission (NHM) MD and the State Health Minister several times and they were assured that the government was in the process of acquiring 1,000 ambulances and the drivers would be employed in these, the memorandum stated. But nine months since the last meeting, nothing has emerged so far and they were facing financial hardship, the memorandum said. The association requested the Chief Minister to consider their plight and take appropriate action.
Another protest at the Chachal ground was staged by All Assam Mottock Yuva-Chatra Parishad to reiterate the community’s demand for inclusion in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list. The Mottock community is one of the six communities which were promised ST status a long time back. But subsequent governments have failed to resolve the matter.
The Mottock organization also demanded that historical sites be made free from encroachment, preserved and beautified. Another demand raised by them is setting up of fully autonomous councils and devolution of adequate funds to these. They also demanded that noted persons from the Mottock community be included in different corporations and public bodies.
The day also saw the All Adivasi Students’ Association of Assam (AASAA) lodge a protest in support of their demands. The organization, representing the Adivasis or tea tribes, submitted memoranda addressed to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Assam Governor Gulab Chand Kataria. Through these memoranda, the Adivasi body demanded that issuance of OBC certificates through the Adivasi Jatiya Manch Assam in the state of Assam should be done in the name of the original tribe/sub-tribe/caste/sub caste of the applicant and not as a member of tea garden/ex- tea garden community. The organization also reiterated its demand for ST status.
Another organization at the Chachal protest ground was the All Assam COVID-19 Safai Karmachari Santha, which was protesting for the second day. The grouse of the protestors, represented by Karuna Kanta Pathak, who is sitting in a hunger strike at the venue, was that the earlier promises made by the Chief Minister and Health Minister be kept. They wanted regularization of jobs or compensation for 3 years– the time they put in service since the COVID-19 pandemic started.
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