Various organizations Protest move to privatize Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL)

Correspondents

Golaghat/Numaligarh: The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) Golaghat district unit carried out protest in front of Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) on Monday in Golaghat district in protest against the Centre’s disinvestment plan in Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL).

Under the leadership of president Niranjan Sonowal and secretary Prince Doley of Golaghat district AASU unit, thousands of AASU activists demonstrated by holding placards and raising slogans. The protest lasted for more than two hours and it created a heated environment all around the vicinity of NRL.

Taking part in the protest, chief organizing secretary of AASU State committee, Raju Phukon said the NRL had been the outcome of the six-year long Assam Agitation to oust illegal migrants from the State in which 855 youths had lost their lives and more had lost their livelihood and homes. Phukon also stated that privatization of NRL would not be considered at any cost and if the government went for it, strong democratic protests would be carried out by AASU in the coming days.

Golaghat district AASU unit secretary Prince Doley said, “The sentiment of Assamese people is attached with NRL, as it was a result of the Assam Accord that was signed after sacrifice of 855 martyrs in the Assam Agitation. We will not sit back if the government takes further steps to privatize NRL. We are ready to give blood again if needed, but not our fuel and not NRL.”

In separate memorandums to the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister, the AASU unit stated that NRL was a subsidiary of BPCL which held a 61.65 per cent stake of NRL. So, the moment BPCL is privatized, NRL will have to share the same fate. There are over 1,000 permanent and 2,000 temporary employees and hundreds others involved in NRL.

The Oikya Sena Asom Golaghat district committee also staged strong protest against the government’s decision for privatization of BCPL and its subsidiary body NRL, in front of the main entrance of the refinery on Monday morning. Members of the Oikya Sena Asom Golaghat district committee protested by shaving their heads. The chief secretary of the Oikya Sena Asom Golaghat district committee, Tofik Ahmed stated that NRL was set up as per the outcome of the historic Assam Accord of 1985 which was signed after six long years of Assam Agitation, where 855 sons of the soil got martyrdom. He also stated that NRL had become not only a symbol of the sentiments of Assamese people but also a matter of deep concern as NRL was set up with a view to push in the battle against poor economic and social status of the north-eastern people.

The Oikya Sena Asom Golaghat district committee also submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister demanding the government to keep NRL as a public sector unit (PSU).

The All Assam Scheduled Caste Students’ Union (AASCSU) Golaghat district committee also staged strong protest in front of the main entrance of NRL on Monday afternoon. The AASCSU members also blocked the NH-39 for some time, protesting against the government’s decision of privatizing the BPCL and NRL. A protest meeting also held where the AASCSU protesters burned the copies of the notice inviting tender for stake sell of BPCL. The AASCSU central committee secretary, Paramananda Das was also present in the protest and stated that the Indian Government, since the start of economic liberalization in 1991, has been selling off Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) in the name of privatization. These undertakings have been contributing in economic progress and nation building. “We AASCSU strongly condemn this and protest against this move by the government,” he added.

NRL Workers’ Union leader Dibyabhusan Saikia, AITUC leader Dhrubajyoti Bora along with many other leaders from different organizations were present in the protest meeting and condemned government’s decision of privatization of Central Government PSUs. In the meeting, the AASCSU also demanded immediate removal of the NRL employees, who got into jobs by providing fake SC certificates. AASCSU recently published a list with names of NRL employees who got into jobs with false SC certificates.

The evicted families’ organization also came out on to the roads on Monday for saving NRL. Many families who left their homes and lands for the establishment of NRL protested against the government and demanded that NRL should be saved. The president of the organization, Tarun Boruah along with many other protesters, came out on the road and burnt the effigy of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. The protesters also marched towards the main gate of NRL.

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