Assam’s Sivasagar Stays on Edge: CSO Leaders Face Bond Signing Orders

SIVASAGAR: The situation continues to remain volatile in Sivasagar, a district in upper eastern Assam, as the civil society groups have strongly protested against "non-Assamese" communities following an alleged assault on a teenage national-level athlete.

In response, the Sivasagar district administration has launched a campaign asking leaders of such groups to sign agreements promising not to make any provocative statements or hold demonstrations.

It has threatened to take legal action against the flouting of these agreements.

The leaders of 27 Assamese civil society groups, including Srinkhal Chaliha of Bir Lachit Sena have been summoned to sign these agreements.

It is the Sivasagar district magistrate that has summoned these leaders.

Summon notices have also been issued to other leaders, which include Chitu Barua, president of Jatiya Sangram Sena, as well as Parshjyoti Das and Bhaskar Bargohain, central general secretary of ATASU.

The development has elicited sufficient reactions among all groups.

ATASU president Basanta Gogoi reacted against the move, stating that signing a bond won't stop the fight for indigenous rights.

He said, "People of Upper Assam have always kept the law and order. They insisted that there is no unrest in Sivasagar."

Gogoi said that this conflict is not on religious ground, rather between indigenous and non-indigenous people.

Srinkhal Chaliha of the Bir Lachit Sena also opposed the move, saying he'd rather go to jail than ink the bond.

He further elucidated that their movement is for indigenous dominance and to drive away the immigrants of Bangladeshi origin, whether Hindu or Muslim.

Since the alleged assault of a 17-year-old national-level athlete by some local Marwari businessmen in Sivasagar, the town has witnessed tense situations for about ten days.

The incident had forced large-scale protests against business owners who are not Assamese, forcing many shops and business establishments to shut down.

Following the violence, Assam Cabinet Minister Ranoj Pegu held a meeting at Sivasagar with members of both communities - Assamese and Marwari.

Members of the Marwari community tendered public apology for the attack on the young sportsperson and also dispatched their regret to the agitating groups. As the situation is turning grave, security personnel have been deployed everywhere in Sivasagar.

ALSO READ:

ALSO WATCH: