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Monday, Nov 26, 2007
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Students’ forum calls Assam bandh today

Sushanta Talukdar

Leaders from Jharkhand visit the injured Adivasis in Guwahati Medical College Hospital

— PHOTO: RITU RAJ KONWAR

A word of comfort: The former Jharkhand Chief Minister, Arjun Munda, makes enquiries with injured Adivasi boys at the Guwahati Medical College Hospital on Sunday.

Guwahati: The All Adivasi Students Association of Assam (AASAA) has called a 36-hour Assam bandh, beginning on Monday, to protest against the attack on Adivasi demonstrators during a rally by the student body here on Saturday, even as Jharkhand leaders rushed to Assam to take stock of the situation and enquire about the condition of the injured.

The All-Assam Tea Tribe Students Association (AATSA) has extended support to the bandh call and called for observance of black day in all tea gardens on November 28.

Curfew lifted

Curfew was lifted and normality returned to the violence-hit Basistha Road. Trouble began when AASAA supporters vandalised shops and vehicles. There was a brutal retaliation by resident shop keepers and vehicle owners.

The Opposition Asom Gana Parishad and the Bharatiya Janata Party have demanded dissolution of the Congress-led coalition government and institution of a judicial probe.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) held the government responsible for Saturday’s violence. It staged a rally here, appealing to all sections of people to maintain unity and calm. The AGP has called for observance of black day on Monday.

BJP leader and the former Jharkhand Chief Minister, Ajrun Munda, visited the Guwahati Medical College Hospital (GMCH), hospital to enquire about the condition of the injured. He sat on a dharna, forcing the GMCH authorities to readmit some of the injured Adivasis, who were discharged and were about to be escorted back to their villages.

Mr. Munda alleged that they were discharged without proper treatment and dared the police to drive over him the buses loaded with those discharged. He called off the dharna after Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma came and assured him that the government would provide the best treatment to the injured.

Mr. Sharma said 57 patients were discharged and Rs. 500 provided to each of them for meeting the journey expenses.

He added that 260 injured were still in hospital.

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief and former Union Minister Shibu Soren led a five-member delegation from Jharkand, including three Ministers, to Assam. He visited the injured Adivasis.

He told reporters at the hospital that the brutalities committed on Adivasis were very unfortunate as it occurred at a time when the tribals in Assam were spearheading an identity movement. There should not be further delay in granting the Scheduled Tribe status to them.

Durga Hasda, chairman of the Birsa Commando Force (BCF) a militant outfit fighting for a State for tribals and AGP leader Joseph Topno also visited the injured in hospital.

Services terminated

The State government has terminated from service over 100 junior doctors, who were on strike demanding adequate security for the attending doctors.

The Health Minister told reporters that the GMCH authorities were asked to shut down the hostel of junior doctors and vacate them within 24 hours.

The government would bring in about 100 doctors from rural areas and move the Medical Council of India for cancellation of their registration.

Doctors arrested

Agitated junior doctors were later arrested but the GMCH students sat on a dharna protesting against the government move.

Junior doctors, however, said they had called off their strike to render emergency services on humanitarian ground in the wake of rush of the injured patients following Saturday’s violence, but the authorities told them that their services were not required.

“Ensure safety”

PTI reports from Ranchi:

Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda on Sunday urged the Assam government to ensure the safety of tribals, who had migrated from the State.

A delegation was visiting Guwahati to meet the victims, Mr. Koda told presspersons in Ranchi.

“The attacks on tribals, particularly those from Jharkhand who had migrated to work in tea gardens there, is condemnable. We will speak to the Assam government for their safety,” Mr. Koda said.

Stating that the State government would write to the Union Home Ministry regarding the safety of tribals, Mr. Koda hoped that the Assam government would provide adequate compensation to the victims.

Another former Chief Minister, Babulal Marandi, will leave for Guwahati on Monday.

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