Silchar MLA breaks indefinite hunger strike

Special correspondent

SILCHAR, Feb 18: At the combined request of all the outfits of Sangha Parivar and of senior citizens, Dilip Kumar Paul and 12 mandal BJP workers have withdrawn their indefinite hunger strike today. Dilip Kumar Paul, Silchar MLA, was admitted in ICU of Silchar Medical College and Hospital last night due to deterioration in his health. He is having the problems of blood sugar and high pressure. While Kabindra Purkayastha, former union minister and BJP state vice-president, went to the hospital and offered fruit juice to the MLA, Bimal th Choudhury, a frontline Sangha leader, and Kaushik Rai, district BJP president, administered fruit juice to the 12 other fasting mandal workers.

 Bimal th Choudhury advised the MLA and the workers to break their fasting, but they can continue their movement for the public cause. It is to be mentioned that the MLA along with mandal workers has been on fast for indefinite period from February 15 in protest against the worst shape of roads of this town, demanding immediate measures by the PWD (R) for their improvement. Strangely, neither any representative of the administration not the PWD (R) Silchar division showed the courtesy to meet the MLA and assure him of action. Gautom Roy, minister and advisor to the chief minister, did come to the site of fasting at rsingtola ground to see Dilip Kumar Paul on Wednesday and asked him to withdraw his fasting. He also said when the tender for the works for repair and improvement of roads in question has been floated, he should wait for the decision of the department concerned for initiating work. Before that, he should not have undertaken fasting.

 The Chief Minister of Assam Tarun Gogoi might be blowing the trumpet of his government through advertisements in the media about the number of roads blacktopped and bridges made concrete. But, the story on the ground is different. There are roads both in the rural and urban areas which continue to remain in bad shape with no sign of improvement. It is no use repeating how many memoranda and representations have been submitted to the authorities concerned, deputy commissioner and PWD (R). No action is initiated. The ground is that PWD (R) has no fund and there is no allotment of central allocation to the state government. This is the story which has been repeated for the last one year. The network of roads of this town in particular beggars description. The citizens have become tired of airing their grievances and the MLA elected from Silchar, Dilip Kumar Paul, is made the target. Being in the opposition, his voice and cry for improvement of roads do not reach Dispur. Even if it reaches, it is not heard.

 The MLA as stated earlier has to sit for fasting as he failed to carry conviction with the people of this town about his helplessness on the matter of roads. Neither the state government nor PWD (R) has extended fincial help or fund. Through fasting, his objective was to demonstrate how the state government continues to neglect and discrimite against Barak Valley. He raised the conditions of roads of College road, Chencoorie road and greater Malugram areas in the last budget session of the Assembly, but without any positive response from the state government.