November 11 a jinx for Fancy Bazar!

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Nov 11: The business community at Fancy Bazar in Guwahati has an obscure reason to take November 11 as a jinx for them.

In was on this day in 2015 over 50 business establishments at New Market in the business hub in the city had been charred into ashes. The evil omen revisited Bulbul Market in the business hub on November 11 this year, and charred a shop and a godown into ashes. This incident has sent an alarm – which market in the business hub will have to bear the brunt of the evil omen on November 11, 2017.

When New Market in Fancy Bazar had been charred into ashes, then State Chief Minister Tarun Googi, MP Bijaya Chakraborty, former chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, AIUDF president Badruddin Ajmal and Sarbanda Sonowal as State BJP leader did rush to the market and gave various assurances to the affected businessmen. However, a year has elapsed but the assurances are yet to be met.

On the other hand, the All Guwahati Traders’ Association (AGTA) had requested then Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and Prime Minister rendra Modi on December 18 last year though memoranda to extend ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh to each of the affected traders and Mudra Nidhi loan. “However, the government didn’t make any arrangement for us, let alone giving us ex gratia,” said AGTA president ren Deka and general secretary Prantosh Roy, the AGTA said in a press release today. They added: “It’s worth mentioning here that the affected traders are yet to be given electricity connection.”

The association staged a protest meeting at New Market against the lackadaisical attitude of the State government towards their demands.