GUWAHATI: The 24-hour Assam bandh called by the All Assam Students Union (AASU), ended peacefully last week.
Barring some stray cases of stone pelting the bandh was incident free by and large, an official spokes- man said. He claimed that the bandh had no impact in the three districts of the Barak valley and very little in other parts.
The AASU had called the bandh to protest against the killing of its activists at Tezpur and levying of charges for medical treatment in government hospitals and medical colleges in the state. The bandh was also in protest against the reported grant of land by the state government to Bangladeshis.
According to official reports more than 50 AASU activists were arrested from different parts of the state. Some were arrested from the city for stone throwing.
The reports said attendance in government offices was thin and shops and businesses abolishment’s remained closed. While private vehicles were off the roads, the Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) ran some long distance buses with police escort.
However, a state government Spokesman said attendance in the Secretarial at Dispur was normal while 60 to 70% attendance was reported in other districts of the valley.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 5, 1994
