Letters to THE EDITOR: Bandh with a Difference

Bandh with a Difference

In the last decade or so, student's body AASU have called quite a few number of bandhs on different issues. AASU even called bandhs and strikes during the Assam Movement demanding deportation of illegal foreigners from the soil but there is glaring difference between those bandh calls and 8th January Assam bandh. When the whole state was burning during the Assam Agitation, the bandh calls by AASU had little impact in minority dominated areas but this time it was total in those areas dominated by minorities. To add to it in those places/areas AASU has no or little impact.

Another is hooliganism during the recent bandh, the hooliganism and gundagiri in this bandh was unprecedented. Even during the Assam Agitation the bandh was peaceful and spontaneous. But on 8 January it was completely opposite. Nobody was spared. AAMSU and KMSS goons were active on the streets. KMSS led by Akhil Gogoi who very recently protested against the eviction of illegal settlers of doubtful nationality was taking active part in AASU called bandh. Khumtai MLA Mrinal Saikia who questioned AASU in this regard was very timely. It is an fervent appeal to Samujjal Bhattacharjee for heaven's sake please spare Assam and indigenous people and don't convert Assam into another Kashmir and spare the fate of bhomiputras/bhumiputris of the state from having the same fate as Kashmiri pandits of Kashmir.

Himadri Chekanidhara,

Bihpuria, North Lakhimpur.

Let's Hold off Bihu

It needs no new mention about how much wrath and grief the people in Assam are now holding into their hearts, for they have been deceived again by the ruling party which everyone had rallied their complete hopes onto. The past few days have been hard for the people of Assam undergoing struggles and agitations everywhere, from all walks of life. More so is the saddening fact that fourteen brave persons stripped naked in front of the parliament.

Despite all these struggles, the central government did not pay any heed to the cries of this far away land from the mainland. The coming days are going to be no less tough with a last ray of hope of pressurising the central government to scrap the bill which is now pending in Rajya Sabha as our fate and future is being decided without our consent and against our wishes. Our future, our identity, culture, and language everything is at peril now. At this juncture, with the festive season of Magh Bihu around the corner and 'Bon Bhuj' (Picnics) being a common sight for recreation in normal circumstances. Hence, through this newspaper an appeal to all to minimise the celebrations of Bihu and calling off all our plans for picnics for the reasons known well to us. We must now focus more on ways to pressurize the government to scrap the bill. Assam and NE region have been heartbroken in grief and anger for they have been deceived again. Hence, when the region is burning, the least we can do is at least show our solidarity by minimising the celebrating of festivals and calling off picnics this season.

Nupur Das,

Ganeshguri, Guwahati.