EMN
DIPHU, OCTOBER 30
The 1000-hour Karbi Anglong district bandh is likely to be lifted in the next few days’ time, according to a well placed source. Though the agitating Joint Action Committee for Autonomous State (JACAS) ‘is fuming’ over the ‘arrest’ of its convenor Bijoy Teron late last night from Diphu by the police, the source informed Eastern Mirror this evening that the agitating Committee is likely to pay heed to the Government invitation for talks.
JACAS convenor Bijoy Teron was picked up by police around 11:30 pm on Wednesday from a locality in Diphu while the Committee members were reportedly about to hold a meeting on whether to suspend the ongoing 1000-hour bandh. The source said JACAS has started discussing on the Government invitation for talks. The source also disclosed that New Delhi has instructed the Tarun Gogoi Government to take an initiative to hold talks with the agitating JACAS. The Centre’s move has come after Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang and Manipur Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh had reportedly apprised the former to ‘do something’with the Karbi Anglong bandh.
“JACAS has agreed to hold talks with the Government but it is not happy with the condition the latter has placed,” disclosed the source. The condition of the Government is that “JACAS should call off its ongoing 1000-hour bandh before sitting down for talks.” However, JACAS said today that the question of calling off the bandh will only depend on the outcome of the talks. “Whatever may be the case, JACAS is ready for talks now,” the source stated.
Earlier in the day, Prasanta Buragohain, Deputy Commissioner of Karbi Anglong district has requested JACAS to call off the bandh and ready for talks.
Meanwhile, banks in Karbi Anglong have started operating since Wednesday. In some pockets shops were seen opened in the morning. Many city buses will run between Diphu and Manja from tomorrow, sources said.
On Wednesday, Karbi Anglong district Deputy Commissioner Prasanta Buragohain had notified the banning on the enforcement of ‘bandh’ or ‘hartal’ mentioning the standing order of the Supreme Court which declared that any such action will invite legal action. The notice has stated that non compliance or violation of the provisions will be treated as contempt of Court and will be liable for penal action as per provisions of law.
It is worth mentioning here that Even as the Joint Action Committee for Autonomous State’s sponsored 1000-hour bandh began since 5 am of October 27 demanding the creation of an Autonomous State. It is can also be mentioned here that few days before the agitation began Union minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju had stated there was no plan to create any new state either full-fledged or autonomous state by the BJP-led NDA government at the moment.
Kiren Rijiju snubbed the Hill State Democratic Party (HSDP) over the demand for the creation of a separate State when the latter had met him on October 22. HSDP and the Karbi Anglong district unit of the Congress have been demanding the creation of a separate state while JACAS is demanding the creation of an autonomous State.
