A CORRESPONDENT
BOKAKHAT: On Tuesday, more than a hundred people once again staged a strong protest against toll collection at the toll gate set up at Rangamati in Dergaon, creating a tense situation. The toll gate, located at Rangamati in Golaghat district on National Highway 37, has been witnessing daily unrest due to the lack of required facilities and the collection of toll fees without completing the road construction work.
Local residents and various organizations have raised their voices against the toll gate, which has been set up in violation of norms just six kilometres away from Dergaon Municipal Board. Since the time of its construction, people from Dergaon, Misamara, Rangamati, and surrounding areas have been protesting continuously. Although several protest programmes have been carried out in recent days, the government and the administration have allegedly paid no attention to the public's demands.
As a result, once again hundreds of people gathered at the toll gate on Tuesday demanding exemption from toll fees for residents living within a 20-kilometre radius of the toll gate and the provision of mandatory facilities at the toll plaza. The inaction of Khumtai constituency MLA Mrinal Saikia towards the problems of the people also drew sharp criticism, with protesters raising various slogans against him.
Slogans such as 'Mrinal Saikia beware,' 'BJP government beware,' 'People are on the streets today, no trace of the MLA,' 'The MLA has no shame,' and 'Shut it down' echoed at the protest site, turning the atmosphere volatile.
It is noteworthy that the police and administration were already on high alert and compelled the protesters to demonstrate on the roadside instead of in front of the toll gate. On the other hand, administrative officials argued with the public, stating that permission had not been taken for the protest. Heated arguments were witnessed between the protesters and administrative officials, including the police, at the protest site.
Tuesday's protest was led by noted social worker Gopal Krishna Khaund of Dergaon, Jyotishman Bora, General Secretary of the Golaghat district unit of the Students' Liberation Struggle Committee, senior leader of the Farmers' Liberation Struggle Committee Bipul Mahanta, and Assamese Yuva Mancha Central Cultural Secretary Sarat Saurav, along with several other prominent figures. More than 300 local residents took part in the programme.
During the protest, a scuffle broke out between the protesters and senior officials, including Dergaon Revenue Circle Officer and Golaghat district police personnel led by Moniya Kalita. The protesters warned that if their demands were not met by January 26, more than 10,000 people would launch a massive agitation and bring the toll gate to a standstill.
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