MANGALDAI, Dec 19 - In response to the decision taken by the All Assam Book Publishers and Sellers� Association, book sellers of Darrang are also going to observe a four-day long �bandh� from tomorrow in protest against the decision of the State Education Department to supply free text books directly to the students upto the higher secondary standard. The State book publishers and sellers body has termed the decision as totally one-sided and detrimental to the book publishing and selling business in the State adversely affecting it.
Meanwhile, talking to this correspondent, Pranab Saha, one of the senior office-bearers of the local book sellers� body and the owner of the premier book stall �Jnanjyoti� stated that they have extended their full support to the decision and shutters of nearly 60 book stalls will remain closed for four days beginning from tomorrow. �The decision of the Government has created an uncertainty for the future of around 1000 people belonging to the families of traders, employees or other persons directly or indirectly involved in this trade. Many small book stalls in rural Darrang have closed down in recent times as in such areas the business heavily depends upon the textbooks sales�, said Saha. �We are not against free textbooks for students, but instead of supplying textbooks directly to them, the Government should have decided to offer cash benefits into the bank accounts of the students against the cost of books. Then, both the students and the local book sellers would have benefited ,� he maintained.