The 12-hour dawn-to-dusk statewide bandh in Assam called by 46 organisations demanding scrapping of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, passed off peacefully in the hill district of Karbi Anglong but paralyzed normal life on Tuesday.
Chief Executive Member (CEM), Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC), Tuliram Ronghang said those shops which did not open during the bandh may face cancellation of their trading license.
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The roads of the hill town wore a deserted look with no commercial and public vehicle plying and only a few private vehicles were seen plying on the streets.
Commercial establishments, shops and educational institutions remained shut.
There were similar scenes in Bokajan, Howraghat and West Karbi Anglong district. Places like Kheroni, Hamren and Baithalangso also wore a deserted look where shops and business establishments were not seen opened and there was no public transport too.
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In Diphu, the police kept vigil at several road intersections during the period of the bandh. However, no untoward incident was reported from anywhere.
KAAC Secretariat here functioned normally with the Chief Executive Member, Tuliram Ronghang, KAAC, Executive Members (EMs), Principal Secretary, Secretaries and other officials attending office.
KAAC issued a notice on October 22 to the staff of the Council that they need to attend office on October 23.
CEM Ronghang had said that KAAC is only implementing the Supreme Court’s order by keeping the KAAC Secretariat open.
He said, “There is a standing order of Supreme Court that bandh is illegal. It is not an order of the KAAC or the State Government, but it is an order of the Supreme Court and we cannot defy it. We cannot go above the law and we want to end this bandh culture and create work culture in the district. ‘Team Karbi Anglong’ is always thinking for all round development of the district.”
“Yesterday we issued an order to all offices for the staff to attend their respective offices and action would be taken against those abstaining from attending office. Also, in Diphu market, those shops that remained shut during bandh hours today, the KAAC authority would have to think about cancellation of their trading licenses,” Ronghang added.
Principal Secretary, KAAC, Mahadananda Hazarika said, “Certain organizations today called for a bandh in the State, but the KAAC authority instructed all officials and staff to attend their offices as usual. Otherwise the authority would take the matter very seriously and action would be taken against the defaulting officers.”
Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC) and Hill State Demand Committee (HSDC) supported the bandh in Karbi Anglong district.