A CORRESPONDENT
LAKHIMPUR: The Lakhimpur district unit of All Assam Students' Union (AASU) resorted to agitational programme in North Lakhimpur town, strongly demanding the governments at the Centre and in the State for the immediate resolution to the inter-State border dispute. Regarding the issue, over 500 members of the organization coming from various parts of the district took to the streets and then staged a three-hour long sit-in in front of the Hanuman Mandir in the town.
Notably, the border dispute of the neighbouring States with Assam has turned more sensitive during these days. A tense situation prevailed due to the border dispute and illegal aggression of the people from the State of Arunachal Pradesh at Mingmang under Dhemaji district few days ago. Lakhimpur AASU has alleged that that the BJP-led governments at the Centre and in the State have intentionally adopted a lackadaisical attitude towards the resolution of border dispute of Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh with Assam and their aggression.
During the demonstration, the protesters slammed both governments and Assam's Chief Minister alleging their failure with regard to resolving the border dispute and warned the people of Arunachal Pradesh by shouting various slogans.
Addressing the media person during the demonstration, AASU central committee organizing secretary Pulok Borah criticized the State Government with strong terms for its failure to resolve the border dispute. He warned the Union and State governments to abstain from continuing politics regarding the burning issues of the Northeast. Central committee executive member Dhanmoni Dutta said, "The Union and State governments have turned their backs to the burning issues of the Northeast internationally. The failure on the part of State Government with regard to providing security to the people of Assam living in the border areas is unfortunate and shameful."
On the other hand, Lakhimpur AASU general secretary Swaraj Sankar Gogoi declared that the organization would intensify stir if the government did not initiate strict action against the Forest Department officials who were allegedly involved in destructing forest resources.
"It is a matter of deep concern that a section of people from Arunachal Pradesh showed their aggression in the native constituency of the Education Minister, Dr. Ranoj Pegu. It proves that the security measures adopted by the State Government to protect the people of the State are very weak," Swaraj Sankar Gogoi further asserted in front of media persons. By initiating the agitational programme, Lakhimpur AASU demanded the governments to initiate immediate steps to resolve the border problem, to ensure security to the people of Assam living in the border areas, to initiate strict and stern action against the smugglers of forest and river resources, to close the illegal mining of sand and stones and to initiate punitive action against corrupt forest officials.
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