ATTSA rues non-fulfillment of demands, to boycott Assembly polls

From a Correspondent
Dibrugarh, March 19: The District Committee of Assam Tea Tribes Students’ Association (ATTSA), voicing protest for the non-fulfillment of the organization’s 20-point charter of demand by the  Congress and BJP parties , has decided to opt for an impartial role in the upcoming assembly elections to be held  on April 4.
The 20-point charter demand which incorporates some essential development issues like establishment of high school and higher secondary schools in tea garden areas, grant of land pattas to landless people of the community, revival of the tea estates of Assam Tea Corporation, grant of Scheduled Tribe status for the tea community people, amendment of Tea Plantation Labor Act, 1951, and increase of daily wages of tea workers to Rs 300 as stated by the district president of ATTSA, Lazar nda, remain unfulfilled till date, despite repeated assurances from the State and Central governments. As such in the meeting held on Friday at Bokakhat in the branch office of ACMS, the organization while taking the decision to boycott the ensuing assembly elections in the wake of the treatment of indifference being meted out to the tea tribe people, has threatened the political parties not to play their policy of enticement to woo the people for seeking their ballot.
The president and general secretary of ATTSA, Lazar nda and Pramod Barla, respectively have urged upon the people to take an impartial stand while exercising their votes. They have even asked the political parties or their candidates to state their individual ‘karma asoni’ to be executed for the well-being of the people. In a press communiqué, both nda and Barla, have advised all the political parties not to engage in any election-related process after 5 pm in the tea garden areas. Further, they have cautioned the parties of severe challenge in the coming days, if the latter fail to comply with the same.