BONGAIGAON, Jan 19 - Protests and strikes called by different organisations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi�s Assam visit could not prevent the BJP workers and supporters from attending Modi�s rallies at Kokrajhar and Guwahati today.
Koch-Rajbongshi United Forum, O-Bodo Suraksha Samiti and Biswajit Ray faction of AKRSU also called Assam bandh today separately against Modi�s visit.
Whether the strikes and protests had any impact on Modi or not, but it certainly affected the common people.
The common people found it difficult to get essential commodities because of closed shops and markets in the western part of the state. Government employees, including school and college teachers, had to face problems reaching their destinations on time due to these bandhs.
�It is obviously good for us when the Prime Minister of the nation visits our state. I feel keeping aside their differences everybody should welcome him for the greater interest of the people of the state,� said Bhabani Prasad Sharma, Associate Professor, Political Science department of Bongaigaon College.
According to Sharma protests and strikes are not the right solutions to the problems faced by various communities of the state. If the demands and issues are logical and have a constitutional base, the leaders of the aggrieved communities should place them in such a way that government is compelled to address it.
He also opined that the government should take up the burning issues of the communities seriously and address them without prejudice and political interest.
�The groups calling strikes against Modi�s visit may have �political interest and objective�, but this may harm the harmonious relations between communities besides impacting the economy of the region,� said Naba Sarma, head of the Political Science department of Birjhora Kanya Mahavidyalaya.
�Resentment of different groups and latest political development have made the situation in the state very critical,� said a lecturer of Bijni College.
It would be better if these groups place their demands unitedly. Because merely bandhs and protests would not help them much, felt Surity Brohmo Chaudhury, Associate Professor of Political Science department in Abhayapuri College.
