Golaghat: The district unit of the Assam Students Union (AASU) on Monday submitted a memorandum to Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal through the deputy commissioner, demanding withdrawal of the showcause notices issued by the inspector of schools to three schools of the district.

The principal of the three schools, namely the Golaghat government Bezbaruah Higher Secondary School, Kamarbandha higher Secondary School and Kacharihat Girls Higher Secondary School, were served showcause notices under rule 9 of the Assam Services (Disciplines and Appeals) Rules, 1964 read with Article 311 of the Constitution.

The principals have been charged with irregularity as on June 25 their students left during school hours take part in a rally.

On June 25, AASU took out a rally here against the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016, in which a large number of students participated. "We smell a political conspiracy behind the showcause notice because the copy of the notice has been given to Mrinal Saikia, the BJP legislator from Khumtai but these schools did not fall within his constituency," said Abhibartan Goswami, the general secretary of the Golaghat unit of AASU.

"Moreover, in Independent India, the student community of Assam has always been very active. They played an active role in all the major issues since Independence. Whether it is the oil refinery movement of 1955, the official language movement of 1960, medium of instruction movement of 1972, the Assam movement of 1979-85, the trend is continuing. The BJP-led government is trying to oppress the voice of students and we will not let them succeed in their motive" Goswami said.

Hiren Gogoi, the inspector of schools, ruled out any political conspiracy behind the showcause notices.

"Whenever we found any irregularities or indiscipline in the working of teachers we issue a showcause notice and it is a routine procedure. We have already received a reply issued to the principals of three schools and we are going through it," Gogoi added.

Mrinal Saikia is the chairman of the Act implementation committee of the Assam Assembly.

The committee on June 18 took a decision to impose restrictions on school students, to refrain from staging protests during school hours and warned the head of institutions of stringent action if their students were found participating in any protest rally.