Assam bandh hits life across State

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Normal life came to a grinding halt across the State on Tuesday due to a 12-hour Assam bandh called by 46 ethnic organizations against the Centre’s bid to pass the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 in the Parliament even after Dispur pulled out all the stops to foil the bandh.

Protestors and supporters tried to put up blockades on railway tracks and disrupt train services across Assam. The police in Guwahati said that demonstrators, who were trying to prevent train movement by squatting on tracks, were being evicted. The supporters in many places engaged in tussles with the police when they were prevented from supporting the strike.

Main roads, prime localities, commercial hubs, educational institutions, both government and private offices across the State wore a deserted look during the dawn-to-dusk bandh which, according to the 46 ethnic organizations, was total, successful and peaceful, barring a few sporadic incidents. The leaders of ethnic organizations said the impact of the bandh was unprecedented and even they were not expecting that the people would so overwhelmingly support the bandh.

“We term the success of the bandh unprecedented since the State Government left no stone unturned, including warning to its employees to face punitive actions in case they do not attend offices during the strike. The government even warned traders of cancelling their trade licenses if the latter down their shutters. Despite all such measures of the government the bandh was successful and total,” general secretary of the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad Palash Sangmai said.

The impact of the bandh was so intense and spontaneous that even Guwahati, the gateway to the Northeast, wore a deserted look. Attending in offices was very thin. Despite the warning, Fancy Bazar extended full support to the shutdown and kept their shops completely shut during the strike.

Assistant secretary of All Guwahati Traders’ Association Nekib Imam Saikia said all traders of Fancy Bazar and Lakhtokia are Indians and naturally they cannot remain mute spectators when the government tries to bring illegal Bangladeshis to the State.

During the shutdown police escorts were provided to public transport vehicles. Heavy security was deployed across the State.