Karimganj bandh total, women volunteers demand DC’s apology
SILCHAR, July 15: The dawn to dusk Karimganj town bandh called by the joint platform of all political parties barring CPM today was a total success, according to the information from the border town headquarters. The bandh was called, as reported earlier, in protest against the deteriorating law and order across the district which had been rocked by spates of crimes, murders, kidnappings, violence against women, drug trafficking and dacoities, rattling the life of people.
During the last one month, Arup Karmakar, a Barak Valley Cement Company employee, was kidnapped while Pulak Chanda, an auto rickshaw driver and owner, was murdered. Both belonged to the town of Karimganj.
Even as the joint platform was preparing and campaigning for the bandh, a middle aged man identified as Abdul Jalil of Kandigram under Nilambazar police station was murdered in cold blood. Though the police had claimed to have nabbed the prime accused, Abdul Malik. This only reflected on the disturbing trend how criminals and anti social elements were ruling the roost, opined senior citizens.
Quite significantly, on the most critical and crucial issue of law and order and the abject failure of the administration to deal effectively with it, political parties notwithstanding their ideological differences came together, campaigned and picketed jointly. With volunteers on the ground from the early morning, movement of vehicular traffic came to a standstill. The roads wore a deserted look. Schools and colleges, banks, state and central government offices, commercial establishments remained closed. Long and short distance trains were detained at Karimganj railway station. The bandh campaigners and volunteers kept vigil to ensure total shut down which evoked spontaneous support from all sections of people. Essential services like newspaper, milk and water supply were however kept outside the purview of bandh. The only jarring incident was the heckling of women picketers who were thrown helter–skelter when they tried to block the entry of Deputy Commissioner, Sanjeeb Gohain.
It was alleged that on finding the women squatting and picketing, the Deputy Commissioner escorted by security guards pushed them aside and made his way into the office. This outraged the joint platform and it was declared by women leaders if the Deputy Commissioner did not come out with apology for the ill–treatment of female picketers within 24 hours, the meeting of all political parties convened by him to discus preparations for 15 August would be boycotted.
The joint platform extended its gratitude and thanks to the people for making the 12 hour bandh a success. Congress leaders Ketaki Prasad Dutta, Uttam Mazumdar and Tapash Purkayastha, Mission Ranjan Das and Rathindra Bhattacharjee of BJP, Chandan Chakraborty of CPI, Nazrul Islam Choudhury of AGP, Dewan Abdul Akin Choudhury of AIUDF slammed the district administration for its failure to contain crimes not only in and out of the town but also across the district. SUCI, VHP and Bajrang Dal which also came out in support of the bandh proposed that the protest should cover the entire district. Besides targeting the district administration, Arunangshu Bhattacharjee of SUCI and Monojit Chakraborty of VHP suggested to intensify the agitation and build up public opinion against the rising crimes in order to force the administration for preemptive and proactive measures. The joint platform did not spare the minister, MP and 4 MLAs of the district and castigated them for turning a blind eye to the crimes and it was noted with shock and dismay their intriguing silence on the burning issue. It was equally significant that in the larger interest of people, Congress leaders too joined the chorus of protest against their own government at Dispur. The joint platform was now planning for larger agitation involving all the blocks of the district in near future if things did not improve.
Source: http://www.sentinelassam.com
