Haflong (Assam): Sporadic incidents of violence were reported on Tuesday from various areas during the indefinite Dima Hasao district bandh called by Indigenous Peoples Forum (IPF), which paralysed normal life, officials said.
The IPF called the indefinite bandh demanding a separate autonomous council by bifurcating the Dima Hasao district. Bandh supporters and people opposing the bandh clashed at some places but were dispersed by police, officials said. Bandh supporters set ablaze to a vehicle and also pelted stones on government vehicles at many places. The district administration has imposed prohibitory order under section 144 crpc in the district, they said. Normal life was paralysed in Haflong, the district headquarters town and other places with markets, schools, colleges, business establishments, offices, banks and other installations remaining closed.
However, the impact was minimal in Maibong, Dyungbra and some other places in the district.
Train services in the district were not affected by the bandh, officials said.
Students oppose bandh
The students’ union of Dima Hasao has opposed the indefinite bandh called by self proclaimed Indigenous People’s Forum (lPF) on Tuesday. The students while the bandh illogical and unconstitutional said, it will affect the ongoing H.S.L.C and H.S.S.L.C Examinations, 2020 and also to the common people of Dima Hasao as a whole. “On the contrary we would like to warn the leaders of IPF to take back their words with an apology for giving extremely provocative and communal statements in media and defaming Dimasa Community,” the statement from the students’ body said.
Besides IPF’s demand for separate district on the basis of non-Dimasas being treated as second class citizens in the district is an utter false and fake propaganda, the statement said while adding “We oppose such kind of provoking and baseless statements.”
