TURA: A two-day protest shutdown call given by Association for Democracy and Empowerment across South Garo Hills over bad roads in the district turned into an embarrassment for the organisers after an angry student community rebelled and refused to join the ‘non-cooperation movement’ leading to its cancellation midway, on Tuesday.
The ADE had announced a 5 am to 5 pm protest shutdown across the southern district for two days, beginning Tuesday, over the issue of delayed restoration work on NH-62 along the Gasuapara-Cherengpara stretch.
However, much to the shock of the organisers, the student community refused to play ball.
Angry over the sudden decision of the ADE leaders to call for a shutdown at a crucial time of examinations, students at several places defied the diktats of the organisers and opened their colleges and schools for classes.
Posters of the ADE calling for the non-cooperation movement were pulled down and burnt by students outside Captain Williamson Memorial College in Baghmara town.
“They called for a non-cooperation movement without consulting the student community as a result of which many of our classmates could not write their exams,” was the collective refrain of angry college students from Baghmara.
In view of the call, as many as 28 out of 251 students from the morning shift and eight out of 210 students of the day shift missed the ongoing 1st year Bachelor of Arts (BA) examinations in the Baghmara College.
Leaders of the ADE later informed that they were calling off the two- day strike.
“Many students who stay in far flung areas could not make it to the examination centres because there were no buses and other public transport in the morning,” informed an official from Baghmara.
District headquarters Baghmara, like other towns in the region, initially remained closed but as news spread about students opposing the shutdown, shops and government offices soon opened up for work and by noon vehicles and pedestrians were on the roads.
The call failed to evoke any response in the coal rich town of Nangalbibra, Jadigittim and even Mahenskola.
However, the town of Gasuapara which is facing the worst road conditions was completely impacted by the protest shutdown. Shops and schools remained closed and the only passing vehicles were those on government duty. Gasuapara is expected to return to normal life on Wednesday.
