From Our Correspondent
Guwahati: The North East Students Organisation (NESO), a banner organization of students’ bodies of all the seven Northeastern states has called for a 12-hour bandh (5 am to 5 pm) in six Northeastern states – Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram and Meghalaya – on September 6.
NESO will also hold a public rally in Guwahati on the issue of recent exodus of NE people from outside states and presence of illegal foreigners in the region.
NESO chairman Dr Samujjal Bhattacharyya said that the organization felt that the twin issues needed to be highlighted loudly as they have led to unrest in the region that is already plagued with many problems.
“When the six states observe the bandh, we will hold a massive meeting and take out a procession in Guwahati, the gateway to the NE. In order to facilitate people’s participation in the rally, we have not called the bandh in Assam,” the NESO leader said.
The NESO is inviting representatives of governments of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and all seven NE states and also the members of NE MPs’ Forum to the rally to be held on September 6.
The NESO has recommended for setting up of nodal agency in all the States that witnessed mass exodus of panic-gripped NE people to coordinate safe return of the N-E people who had fled those States leaving behind their jobs and study.
The NESO has decided to form the NE people and students’ welfare coordination committee at its own initiative in those States for the benefit of the N-E people and students residing there.
The NESO has expressed its gratitude to the people and governments of the affected states as well as members of both Houses of Parliament for showing their concern over the exodus N-E people and standing by the people of the region.