A CORRESPONDENT
JORHAT: As many as 11 organizations and a large number of local people in the Mariani area here along the Assam-Nagaland border in Jorhat district blocked the historic Dhodar Ali in protest against Naga encroachment on Assam land. They demanded the government to evict the Naga Police camp allegedly set up on Assam soil; and also threatened to take up indefinite blockade on the historic road if their demands were not addressed.
The organizations including the All Assam Students' Union (AASU), Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP), All AsDhodar Ali, Nagalandsam Tea Tribes Students' Association (AATTSA) and the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) took up the protest programme at Mariani Thana Tiniali from around 11.30 am on Wednesday in support of their demand. They also took out a protest rally in Mariani town creating a traffic chaos in the busy township for about three hours till the arrival of Jorhat Additional Deputy Commissioner Damudor Barman, Titabor Subdivisional Officer Khanindra Das and Jorhat Additional Superintendent of Police Prasanta Sonowal on the spot.
The government officials held a meeting with representatives of the agitating organizations and the leaders of the organizations categorically stated before them that the blockade would continue if the Naga Police camp was not removed from Assam soil.
AASU Jorhat district secretary Deep Dutta said, "The Nagaland government set up a Police camp and constructed an RCC bridge at Assam's Disoi Valley forest reserve about a month ago. We, along with several other organizations and locals, have imposed an indefinite economic blockade on the Mokokchung-Mariani road since November 16; and it has completed 23 days today. But the government has done nothing to protect our land from the encroachers from Nagaland. Our agitation will continue."
"Besides miscreants from the Nagaland side, the Nagaland government is also involved in illegal encroachment on Assam land under the very nose of the Assam Government officials. Despite repeated demands from various quarters, both the governments in the Centre and the State have failed to protect the life and property of the common people living along the bordering areas in Assam side. We have no option left but to take up rigorous agitation against the government to address our demands," added AATTSA president Dhiraj Gowala.