A CORRESPONDENT
LAKHIMPUR: The AJYCP (Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad) has vehemently condemned the alleged atrocities committed by police in order to pacify the stir against the contentious Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project (SLHP).
AJYCP, in association with the public, started comprehensive blockade from Tuesday against National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) Limited, the constructing organization of the controversial mega river dam project, which is set up in a fragile hilly area and projected to generate 2000 Mega Watt (MG) electricity after completion. The agitational programme was initiated to block the NHPC vehicles carrying construction materials to the project site at Gerukamukh. In this regard, around 3,000 protesters, including the activists of the AJYCP, and other anti-big river dam activist organizations, staged demonstration in Gogamukh by the side of the Gogamukh-Gerukamukh connecting road on Tuesday.
But police and security personnel on Tuesday evening allegedly vandalized the protest venue for violating COVID-19 protocol and drove the protesters away.
In this connection, AJYCP president Rana Pratap Baruah and general secretary Polash Changmai addressed a press meet at North Lakhimpur Press Club on Wednesday in the presence of advisers Pulok Borah, Ranjit Changmai, assistant general secretaries Ratul Borgohain, Sourabh Das and the leaders of the Lakhimpur district unit of the organization.
In the press meet, condemning the police atrocities, Polash Changmai said, "The same government which dominates the democratic agitation by using police in the name of COVID-19 protocol, organizes various meetings and conventions by assembling thousands of people. The same government and the ruling party have also celebrated the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a 20 day-long programme. Such discriminating, differentiating attitude on the part of the government is very shameful."
In the press meet, the president and the general secretary further declared that AJYCP would not retreat from the stir against the controversial Subansiri project despite the dominating attitude on part of the government.
"Our organization will take the stir against SLHP to the people living in 965 villages in the downstream of the River Subansiri, which will be adversely impacted by the project. After interacting with the people of those villages, we will form Nadibandh Birodhi Sangram Samiti. We will initiate NHPC blockade programme again in association with one lakh people as soon as the COVID-19 situation improves," stated Rana Pratap Baruah and Polash Changmai.
Regarding the State Government's attitude towards the project, Polash Changmai said, "The State Government has still been observing silence regarding the sensitive issue like SLHP. It is unfortunate. If the State Government has thought that it has at least a little responsibility towards the riverine people of Dhemaji, Lakhimpur and Majuli districts, the government should discuss the issue in the cabinet meeting to be held in Dhemaji soon."
On the other hand, AJYCP will stage dharna in the subdivisional and district headquarters across the State on September 23 (Thursday) to protest against the State Government's act of forcefully dominating the democratic protesters staging blockade against the NHPC by police atrocities and to demand the closure of SLHP. Moreover, AJYCP will initiate various agitational programmes against the SLHP in the near future, Rana Pratap Baruah and Polash Changmai declared in the press meet.
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