GUWAHATI, Sept 15 � The protest against the Indo-Bangla land swapping deal intensified further with the All Assam Students' Union(AASU) today carrying out a massive protest rally demanding non-ratification of the bilateral agreement in the Parliament.
A procession was also taken out from the Latasil playground to Raj Bhawan after which the AASU leadership along with editors of some select newspapers handed over a memorandum to Assam Governor JB Patnaik.
The memorandum signed by AASU president Sankar Prasad Ray and general secretary Tapan Kumar Gogoi stated, "The Government of India and the Government of Assam have transferred to Bangladesh in a very dictatorial way. The people of Assam have the sovereign right over the land of Assam, which does not belong to any Government of the day. We strongly protest against the transfer of Assam's land to Bangladesh without the consent of the people."
Urging the Governor to take up the matter with both the State and the Central Government, the memorandum stated, "The Government of India should undo the injustice that has once again been meted out to the people of Assam."
In response, the Governor is said to have assured the AASU leadership to take up the issue with the Prime Minister and the Home Minister at New Delhi.
Earlier, addressing the rally at Latasil playground, Dr Samujjal Bhattacharya said, "The Indo-Bangla pact was signed keeping the people of Assam in dark. It was a secret pact signed completely undermining the interest of the indigenous people. The Prime Minister and the Chief Minister of Assam cannot shy away from the responsibility and must rectify their mistakes."
Dr Bhattacharya also announced the resolution demanding the 'secret pact' to be scrapped and urged the opposition parties to raise the issue till the matter is addressed.
"If the issue of ceding away State's land is not addressed at the earliest, the agitation will be intensified further to the doorsteps of the policymakers," warned Dr Bhattacharya.
Asom Gana Parishad president Chandra Mohan Patowary, while speaking on the occasion, termed the pact as anti-Assam and threatened to continue the agitation until the matter is resolved in the interest of the State.
BJP leader Sarbananda Sonowal also spoke on the occasion. A host of other organizations also took part in the procession.
