Parties, Organizations Stage Dharna at Dispur Last Gate, Guwahati

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: Two political parties and as many organizations staged dharna in support of their demands at Dispur Last Gate on Friday when the first day’s business of the Summer Session of the State Legislative Assembly was underway. The two parties are the Assam State Committee of the CPI and the Voter Party International. The two organizations, on the other hand, are All India Democratic Students’ Organization (AIDSO) and the Asom Sangrami Mancha (ASM).

The CPI members were shouting slogans in support of adequate flood relief, the publication of an error-free NRC and revival of the now-defunct Hindustan Paper Corporation (HPC) mills of Assam. They said that this government has totally failed in relief and rescue operation in the current wave of floods in the State. According to them, in many places, flood-affected people have to starve and stay without any roof overhead. They also said that the Central government is not helping the State government on floods. “During the floods last year, Dispur did seek Rs 2,300 crore from the Centre as compensation for floods, but the Centre didn’t pay a single penny. This year, around 50 lakh people have been affected in the State, but the Centre wants to wash its hands off just paying Rs 252 crore. We demand the Centre to immediately release Rs 1,000 crore for flood relief,” a member of the party said.

On NRC, the Left party said that the Supreme Court of India has extended the last date for publication of the final NRC from July 31 and August 31. “It has already been admitted by the government that the names of some genuine Indians have been dropped from the NRC and the names of some foreigners have been included in the list of citizens. We want a correct NRC with names of all genuine Indians but without a single name of any foreigner in it,” one of the leaders of the party said, and added that the government should take all steps to reopen the two closed HPC paper mills of the State, besides releasing the arrears salaries of the employees. The Voter Party International was staging dharna in support of a correct NRC and adequate flood relief. The AIDSO raised the demand for free of free admission for all poor degree students without any condition.

The ASM, on the other hand, raised the demand for regularization of the jobs of 41,000 teachers, allotting one-and-a-half Katha of land to each and every landless family in Guwahati, declaration of floods and erosion in Assam as a national problem and reservation of jobs for the indigenous people of Assam – 80 per cent in officer posts and 100 per cent in third and fourth grade posts.

Also Read: Declare Assam Floods a National Disaster: Asom Sangrami Mancha