Dibrugarh, March 22: At least six All Assam Tea Tribes Students Association activists were baton charged at a poll meeting of the Asom Chah Mazdoor Sangha at Sonari in Sivasagar district today.
Hundreds of activists gathered outside Sonari Public Auditorium, where the meeting was being held, and started raising slogans against Congress MP Paban Singh Ghatowar.
The tea organisation has warned the ruling Congress to be prepared to face the music in the run-up to the Assembly elections.The meeting was presided over by president of the Sonari circle of the trade union, Premkanta Tantabai. Sangh president and Dibrugarh Congress MP Paban Singh Ghatowar and Sonari legislator Sarat Borkotoky also attended the meeting.
The meeting was called to discuss the strategies for facilitating the victory of Congress member Sarat Borkotoky, who is seeking a fifth straight term to the Assembly.
Sources said six student activists from the Sonari unit, including its president, Sahadev Dhanowar, organising secretary Naren Majhi, publicity secretary Dhiraj Bhakta and members Raj Nayak, Manoj Chotria and Bitu Sevok, were injured when a team of police and CRPF baton charged to disperse the gathering.
Charaideo sub-divisional officer and district returning officer for Sonari and Mahmora in Sivasagar district, Lakhi Nandan Gogoi, however, said he had not received any report of lathi-charge during the meeting.
“Our magistrates were there at the meeting along with the security forces. According to preliminary reports, there was minimal use of force to disperse the unruly mob. However, the students’ association has submitted a memorandum and we have ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident. We will get the truth,” the sub-divisional officer said.
The Sonari unit of the association called an urgent meeting immediately after the incident. The association said it would teach the Congress a lesson for not only the day’s incident but also for its alleged indifference towards settling the problems of the tea community.
“Today’s incident is yet another example of the dominant attitude of the ruling Congress against the people of the tea community. The Congress which has ruled the state for most part of the time after Independence, is totally responsible for the pitiable condition of the community today,” Majhi said.
The Sonari unit of the ACMS today endorsed its wholesome support to Borkotoky.
There are 74 tea estates under Sonari circle and the president, secretary and office-bearers of the garden units were present in the meeting.
Ghatowar also appealed to the office bearers of the units to ensure free and fair polls in the estates and to be vigilant against any third force trying to create trouble in the gardens.
