GUWAHATI, Dec 22 - A public tribute paying programme was organised today on the day of the adya shraddha of 17-year-old Sam Stafford who died in police firing during the recent anti-CAA protest at Hatigaon.
As part of the programme, an all-faith prayer was also organised in which citizens cutting across caste, creed and religion voiced their opposition to the newly amended legislation.
The programme was organised in the Hatigaon High School field by the All Guwahati Students� Union in association with the members of the artiste fraternity and the residents of Hatigaon.
Hundreds of people from various walks of life including friends and members of Stafford�s family gathered at the venue at 10.30 am and recollected their association with the departed soul with moist eyes.
Stafford died on December 12 at Hatigaon while returning from the Latasil playground, where popular musician Zubeen Garg had expressed solidarity with the protesters against the Act.
AASU chief advisor Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharya, AASU president Dipanka Kumar Nath, actress Nishita Goswami, fashion designer Garima Garg, actress Prastuti Parashar, artiste Ajoy Phukan, advocate Sailen Sarma and heads of various schools of Guwahati paid tributes to Stafford, besides others.
�It�s unfortunate that the Chief Minister and other ministers have not spoken a single word till date on those youths who lost their lives during the agitation. I wonder if they have their hearts in the right place. We want stringent actions against those responsible for the killings,� Bhattacharya said.
�Protecting the interests of the indigenous communities and simultaneously allowing the illegal migrants entering the country up to 2014 to stay in Assam were both misleading and ridiculous,� he said.
�The State Cabinet took a number of decisions only to appease different indigenous groups, which include creation of three new autonomous councils, reservation of seats for different communities in educational institutions and measures for securing land rights for the indigenous people only, which are nothing but attempts to dissuade people from the agitation,� Bhattacharya said.
�The decisions taken by the Cabinet are our rights and through this, if the government thinks that they can divert the voice of people, then they are wrong. The indigenous Assamese people will not accept the Act at any cost. The agitation against the Act will continue till it is scrapped,� he added.
The AASU president said, �The main aim of this government is to mislead the people and to maintain the vote bank. Now, the government is trying to divide us on the basis of language but they will not succeed.�
