GUWAHATI:
As many as 240 leaders and workers of the Congress party were detained as the police prevented the protestors from marching towards Raj Bhawan in a bid to gherao it and register their protest against various issues, including price rise and unemployment.
The demonstration was organised near the Raj Bhavan, from where the Congress leaders and workers under the leadership of Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Bhupen Borah marched towards the governor’s official residence.
The detainees including Bora, and were taken away from the spot. Later they were brought to Sachal dharna ground, where they have been detained for the day.
“Our protest was against price rise, increasing unemployment rates, flood issue of Assam and levy of GST on essential food items. We have submitted memorandums to the local authorities with our demands and want immediate action from the government to address those,” Bora told the press.
Subsequent to their detention, a six-member team led by senior Congress leader Hiranya Bora submitted a memorandum to Governor at Raj Bhawan.
In the memorandum to the Governor, APCC said, “Decline in economic growth, unbearable burden of debt, uncontrolled price rise, unemployment, Agnipath scheme, unabated flood and landslides and GST on essential commodities are very serious and burning issues that the country is confronting with. These are heavily affecting day to day life of the common people of the country. But the BJP-led government in the Centre and the state are not taking any visible step to take the country forward.”
“The record-breaking inflation coupled with a huge increase in the prices of some essential commodities particularly pulses, edible oil, LPG, petrol, and diesel has burdened the common people to an intolerable extent. This surge in prices of essential commodities has also been accelerated with an unjustifiable increase in GST by the Central government on essential commodities like pre-packed grains, fish, honey, jaggery, wheat flour etc,” the memorandum said.
APCC spokesperson Mehdi Alam Bora in a statement said that some of their members sustained minor injuries at the police action. They were detained for some hours and later released.
Congress leaders like Debabrata Saikia, Kamalaksha Dey Purkayastha, former MP Abdul Hamid, Madhav Rajbongshi, former minister Sarat Barkataky, Akan Bora, Abu Saleh Nizamuddin, Pranati Phukan, Rajiv Lochan Pegu, MLAs Basanta Das, Wazed Ali Choudhury, Abdul Rashiud Mandal, Nandita Das, Sibamoni Borah, Aftab Uddin Mullah, Jadav Swargiary, Diganta barman, former MLA Hiranya Bora, Etwa Munda and Roselin Tirky took part in the protest.
General secretaries of Assam Pradesh Congress Committee, Apurba Kumar Bhattacharyya, Bipul Gogoi, Rajesh Kumar Joshi and Mahaila congress president Mira Barthaklur also took part in the protest.