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Opp walkout over Dhemaji lathicharge

By Staff Reporter - 15 Sep 2010 12:00 AM GMT

GUWAHATI, March 31 � Cross voting during the Rajya Sabha elections continued to have its impact in the Assam Legislative Assembly as the opposition members today attended the proceedings of the House wearing black badges. Meanwhile, the House today witnessed noisy scenes followed by walk out by the Opposition members on the issue of police lathicharge on the activists and supporters of the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) in Dhemaji.

The Leader of the Opposition, Chandra Mohan Patowary raised the issue of police lathicharge on KMSS members in Dhemaji yesterday and alleged that the Government, which was involved in �murder of democracy� this time targeted the unarmed people who launched a democratic movement.

Bhuban Pegu (Ind) said that the people were only demanding proper implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) and supply of PDS items to the rural people along with opposing the construction of big dams. He said that the people only came to the office of the Deputy Commissioner to submit a memorandum to the Government through him, but instead of accepting the memorandum, the police launched a brutal attack on the unarmed people. �The people who launched the movement were not militants and they were only indulging in a democratic movement. He demanded a high level probe into the incident.

At one point of time, agitated Pegu, who represents Jonai constituency in Dhemaji district, rushed to the well of the House and the other Opposition members also joined him. Later the Opposition members staged a walk out from the House shouting slogans against the Government.

Meanwhile, Patowary later said that the Opposition members decided to attend the proceedings of the House today after boycotting the same yesterday because several important Bills are to be discussed in the Assembly. �We decided to attend the proceedings of the House in the interest of the people of Assam, but at the same time, we continued our protest against murder of democracy by the Government by wearing black badges,� he added.

Brahmaputra waterways: Transport Minister Chandan Brahma today said that the entire 891 kilometre stretch of the river Brahmaputra from Sadiya to Dhubri is a commercial route and it has been declared as National Waterways 2.

In a written reply to a question by Dr Alaka Sarma (AGP) in the State Assembly, the Minister said that the Government of India has been providing facilities for maintaining the least available depth on the Brahmaputra by dredging, channel marking etc up to Dibrugarh. He said that there is a protocol agreement between India and Bangladesh for use of the Brahmaputra river to link Assam with Kolkata.