Dhubri, July 13: The Rabha National Liberation Front, whose 24-hour bandh paralysed life in the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council area today, threatened violence if Dispur fails to hold council polls soon.

The council area covers most parts of Goalpara district and the southern part of Kamrup district.

Arson was reported from Goalpara with a passenger vehicle and a two-wheeler being set ablaze near Dabli, 2km from Dudhnoi, in the early hours. Sources in Dudhnoi police station, however, said the vehicle was torched before the bandh started at 6am.

No untoward incident was reported in Kamrup till late this evening.

While traffic remained off the road, shopkeepers downed shutters and attendance in government offices was thin in most parts of the council area. The bandh failed to evoke any response in some places like Rani in Kamrup district, 35km from Guwahati, which has a BSF cantonment.

Asking the government to “stop dirty politics”, the group’s “commander-in-chief” Bhargav Rangkha threatened in a release, “If the government does not want to turn the Rabha Hasong movement into a violent one, they should hold democratic election in the Rabha Hasong area. If the government does not pay any attention to our demand, we will be compelled to undertake more dangerous programmes.”

The RNLF, an underground organisation that surfaced early this year, had pressed for council polls in another statement issued a few months ago.

The All Rabha Students’ Union, All Rabha Women’s Council and the Sixth Scheduled Demand Committee have also been demanding council election since 2003.

The Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council was set up in September 1995 after the All Rabha Students’ Union (Arsu) and the Rabha Hasong Demand Committee signed a treaty with the Assam government in 1995.

Election to the council was supposed to be held by May but it has not been held till date.

The Rabha Hasong Joint Movement Forum had strongly protested the holding of panchayat polls on February 12 this year, demanding that the council polls be held first.

The state election commission had announced on January 18 this year that the council polls would be held on April 30, but it could not be held on date because of delay in delimitation and preparation of voter list.

On November 23 last year, the Gauhati High Court, in response to a PIL filed by Arsu president Tonkeswar Rabha, had directed the state government to hold the polls within six months but the deadline expired on May 23.