GUWAHATI:
The opposition Congress, on March 26, took out a protest march to the State Election Commission office demanding postponement of the date slated for Guwahati municipal polls as it is coinciding with Rongali Bihu, one of the major festivals of Assam. The civic polls are slated to be held on April 19.
The march that commenced from the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) office, was stopped at a distance from the office, which lay shut as officials were on weekend leave.
Led by the party’s state unit president Bhupen Borah, Congress activists condemned the “irrational decision” to hold the civic body polls amid the Bihu festival before handing over a memorandum to the police in this regard for submission to the state election commission.
“Rongali Bihu reflects the cultural identity of every Assamese. For the last two years, people were not being able to celebrate the festival due to the pandemic. It is, therefore, very insensitive on the part of the authorities to hold elections during the festival,” said Bora.
Leader of opposition in Assembly Debabrata Saikia and Congress working president Jakir Hussain Sikdar were among protesters in the rally. Celebration for Rongali Bihu will begin in the state from 14 April.