Talking to mediapersons at the DHD(J)`s liaison office at Sarkari Bagan in Haflong, the surrendered outfit`s publicity secretary, Bele Dimasa, said if the leaders are not released immediately, they would initiate the next phase of their agitation, including more bandhs. "We demand release of all the arrested Dimasa leaders," Dimasa said. Both Hojai and Gorlosa were arrested in connection with the Rs 1,000-crore scam in the hill district. They are now in jail in Guwahati.
A police official in Haflong, the headquarters of Dima Hasao district, said although the 48-hour bandh affected normal life, it passed off peacefully. "There were no reports of any untoward incidents from any part of the district, nor were there any arrests," he said.
Report said all the trains that run through the district were cancelled due to the bandh. However, work on the Lumding-Silchar broad gauge conversion and construction of the East-West corridor continued uninterrupted.
Bele Dimasa criticized the government for not releasing the Dimasa leaders. "The government has been hobnobbing with the proscribed Ulfa leaders although they are yet to surrender arms or arrive at a peace accord. On the other hand, it is not ready to give a chance to the DHD(J) despite the group having surrendered arms and its members living a respectable life," Dimasa said.
He said DHD(J) surrendered on October 2, 2009 and chief minister Tarun Gogoi had promised the group`s demands, including proper rehabilitation of all its members, would be fulfilled within 100 days. But now it seems that the government has forgotten the plight of the Dimasas and the people of Dima Hasao in general, the DHD(J) functionary added.
On the other hand, waterlogging, coupled with a day-long bandh called by a lonal NGO, added to the woes of Silchar residents. The bandh paralyzed life in the town. The Barak Valley and adjoining areas received heavy rain over the last few days. The streets were submerged in knee-deep water and rainwater entered people`s houses as well. The worst-affected areas were Sonai Road, Link Road, Sarat Pally, Shillong Patty, Bilpar, Hailakandi Road, Church Road, Central Road and Ghaniala, with streets going under water and shops, offices, educational institutions and residences submerged for the past three days.
0 comments:
Post a Comment