Bongaigaon/Kokrajhar, Oct. 18: The 24-hour Assam bandh called by the Pradip Ray faction of the All Koch Rajbongshi Students' Union today evoked mixed response across the state.
The union had called the strike in protest against the government's alleged failure to give Scheduled Tribes (ST) status to the Koch Rajbongshi community and creation of a separate Kamtapur state carved out of parts of Assam and Bengal.
The bandh came a day ahead of another 36-hour statewide strike called by Janagosthiyo Oikya Mancha, a forum of six communities demanding ST status, from 5am tomorrow.
The Mancha is protesting against the delay in submission of the report by a committee set up by the Centre to recommend the modalities for granting ST status.
Picketers burnt tyres on the road in the northern part of Bongaigaon town this morning and shouted slogans in support of their demands.
Ray said they would fix the future course of their agitation programme at a meeting in Bongaigaon on October 23. The like-minded groups of the community will be also present at the meeting, he said.
"We will launch a vigorous agitation next month to compel the government to address our demands. We will not request the government for our demands from now on but the government will appeal to us," Ray said.
The Koch Rajbongshis are one of the six communities in Assam which have been demanding ST status.
The bandh evoked mixed response in the four BTAD districts of Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa and Udalguri, where a sizable population of the community resides. The bandh evoked total response in Koch Rajbongshi-dominated areas, while it had little impact in other parts.
Kokrajhar town also witnessed a partial response. Most of the business establishments, including the main market and Maldangpara bazar, were open. Educational institutions and government offices functioned normally. Movement of traffic along National Highway 31 continued under security cover while train services were normal. No untoward incident was reported till the filing of this report.
The bandh did not affect life in Lakhimpur and Dhemaji districts in Upper Assam.
Shops, schools, business establishments and financial institutions remained open in both districts while traffic on the national highway was normal. So were train services.
Ray said in the next phase of agitation they will organise road and rail blockades instead of calling an Assam bandh.
The Mancha includes the All Moran Students' Union, All Assam Muttock Students' Union, All Tai Ahom Students' Union, the Hiteshwar Barman faction of the AKRSU and Chutia Yuba Sanmilan.
Apart from the bandh call, the Mancha will organise a mass convention in Guwahati on October 31 and call another 72-hour strike from 5am on November 1.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY VINOD KUMAR SINGH IN DHEMAJI
