Bandh Cripples Life in Assam, Rest of Northeast

GUWAHATI: Normal life in Assam came to a grinding halt on Tuesday following an eleven-hour bandh call given by the All Assam Students’ Union and 30 other ethnic organizations in protest against the Centre’s move to pass the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.

The impact of the bandh was also totally in some other north-eastern States — Meghalaya, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh – as well since the strike had the support of the North East Students’ Organization (NESO).

People spontaneously supported the bandh in the entire Brahmaputra Valley. In various places in the State bandh supporters resorted to vandalism. They ransacked the office of the BJP in Dibrugarh, the home town of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. The police had to fire rubber bullets and tear gas shells to disperse a mob that went unruly in Dibrugarh town.

Incidents like pelting stones at vehicles, vandalization of a few shops, vegetable markets and private establishments, physical assault of some drivers and tussle between police personnel and bandh supporters were reported from different parts of the State. The police has registered seven cases of violence during the bandh and arrested several persons.

Train service was disrupted during the bandh period forcing NF Railway to reschedule departure and arrival timings of several trains.

All major government establishments and offices, educational institutions, banks, financial institutions, private companies, commercial establishments and other public institutions wore a deserted look during the bandh in lower, central and upper Assam. Guwahati was not an exception and the bandh was total in the city. Business hubs— Fancy Bazar, Pan Bazar, Lakhtokia, Ganeshguri and Chandmari remained shut. At many places in the city, youths were seen to pass the bandh hours by playing crickets on streets.

The impact of the bandh was, however, partial in the Barak Valley where majority of people support the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.

The AASU on Tuesday evening expressed gratitude to the people of Assam for their spontaneous and total support to the bandh. A press communique issued by AASU president Dipanko Kumar Nath said that the success of the bandh is evident of the people’s opposition to the Citizenship Bill.

The NESO has also thanked the people of the region for observing the bandh. The students’ organization condemned the incident of police firing and atrocities on members of the Tripura Students’ Federation and bandh supporters in Tripura.

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