Guwahati: Raijor Dal president and Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi has called for a mass gathering in Guwahati on September 23, seeking immediate relief and compensation for families affected by the devastating floods in Upper Assam this monsoon.
The protest is scheduled to be held at Chachal from 10 am and is expected to bring together flood-affected people from Sivasagar, Jorhat and Charaideo districts, along with others supporting their demands.
Gogoi said the protest was against what he described as the failure to provide promised immediate relief to flood-affected families. He said families whose houses and belongings had been destroyed should receive Rs 10 lakh in compensation.
The principal demands include an end to irregularities in the distribution of flood relief, immediate assistance for all affected families, Rs 10 lakh compensation for families whose homes and belongings have been destroyed, and a CBI inquiry into the causes of the devastating floods.
Gogoi said Raijor Dal had obtained the necessary permission for the programme.
He said the protest was part of the party’s efforts to remain connected with flood-affected people and press the government to provide assistance.
“The main work of a political party is to remain directly connected with the people. After the devastating floods in Upper Assam, our main responsibility as a political party is to stay with the affected people and help them as much as possible,” he said.
Gogoi warned that Raijor Dal would intensify its protests if the government failed to address its demands after the September 23 programme.
“I went on a fast on September 17 and submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister, informing him about the need to provide immediate relief to the flood-affected people. But even now, I have noticed that the immediate relief has not reached everyone,” he said.
Earlier, on August 25, the Sivasagar legislator had given the Assam government a 48-hour deadline to address the issues, warning that he would march to Guwahati if they remained unresolved.
Meanwhile, tension was reported outside Sivasagar railway station after Raijor Dal members and local residents planning to travel to Guwahati for Wednesday’s protest were allegedly stopped by railway police, local police and CRPF personnel.
A woman at the station alleged that authorities were checking passengers’ Aadhaar cards and that some people were being stopped despite carrying valid identification.
“They are checking the Aadhaar cards of everyone, but not everyone has brought their Aadhaar card. We are not being allowed to go even when we have an Aadhaar card. Akhil Gogoi has helped us a lot, so we are planning to go to join the protest when he called us,” she said.