Burning issues of Barak Valley raised at BJP Panaji meet

Barak burning issues raised at BJP Panaji meet

SILCHAR, June 11: The burning issues of Barak Valley were on the agenda of the National Executive Committee of BJP at its Panaji meet in Goa. These were raised by Mission Ranjan Das, vice president of the Assam State Committee and a member of the NEC and former MLA of North Karimganj. In fact, Das had sent a slew of resolutions touching upon the problems as discussed and decided at the meeting of Karimganj District Committee of the party to the NEC for discussion. Accordingly, he was called at the Panaji meet to raise them and deliberate over them.

The issues taken up by Mission Ranjan Das focused on Silchar–Lumding BG, East–West Corridor, citizenship of Bengali Hindu refugees and non implementation of Barak waterways as national waterways. In his address before the leaders of the NEC, he bitterly criticized both the UPA Government and Assam Government for inordinate delay in the implementation of the projects and hypocritical stand on the issue of grant of citizenship to Bengali Hindu refugees. Elaborating Das said BG and East–West Corridor were dragging their feet despite the fact both the projects were declared national. Though Barak waterways between Kolkata and Lakhipur through Bangladesh was also declared a national project, it was yet to be implemented.

On the crucial citizenship status of Bengali Hindus seeking shelter in Assam after being forced to migrate from East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, he said successive State governments at Dispur had been ambiguous and vague on their stand. After the annulment of IM(DT) Act of 1983 by the Supreme Court, Mission Ranjan Das pointed out, the Immigrants Act of 1950 was revived which was specific on the issue. People forced to desert their hearths and homes in Bangladesh, erstwhile East Pakistan, would be given shelter in India and recognized as refugees. The State government was yet to make any move in this regard.

Both the Centre and the State were accused of adopting an attitude of neglect and discrimination towards Barak Valley. He reminded BG and East–West Corridor when completed would also benefit Mizoram, Tripura, Manipur and Meghalaya because it would provide faster and safe connectivity that would also hasten socio–economic development of north east as a whole. The Barak waterways in the same way would also contribute towards the economic development and help rapid industrialization. He called upon the frontline BJP leaders to take up the issues in all seriousness at the national level.

Mission Ranjan Das made it clear that the issues if properly focused on for their resolutions and definite moves made in this regard by the NEC and the leaders, it would strengthen the party base in Assam as well as in north east as a whole. The party, he was also confident, would do well in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections in Assam and other north eastern states. This information was shared by Karimganj BJP leader with the media persons.

Source: The Sentinel

Silchar–Lumding Broad Gauge project will be completed by March, 2015

’Silchar–Lumding BG to be completed by March 2015’

SILCHAR, May 24: If everything goes well the construction of Silchar–Lumding broad–gauge project will be completed by March, 2015.

This observation was made by Raj Kumar Das, Deputy Chief Engineer, Construction Company–2, NF Railways (construction) before the Gauhati High Court recently on behalf of the railway authority, the State and the Centre during a hearing on a public interest litigation petition filed by Citizens’ Forum of this town for the inordinate delay of Silchar–Lumding BG project.

It is pertinent to mention here that a Bench of Chief Justice AK Goel and Justice AK Goswami observed at the first hearing on the PIL filed by Dhruva Kumar Saha and Shyamal Kanti Deb of the Forum that the Railway Ministry “ought to consider the matter and fix a realistic target date by which the Silchar–Lumding broad gauge project may be completed” and at the same time asked the railway authority to come forth with its explanation on the delay within a stipulated time framed by the HC.

In its reply to the order of the Court, the railway authority submitted a written statement in which it states that from 1996–2005, the construction work got interrupted due to lack of funds, terrorism in Dima Hasao district, delay in the release of no objection certificate from the forest department, etc and that is why the project was not completed within the scheduled time period. It however adds that 80 per cent of the work has been already completed and if everything goes well then the construction of Silchar–Lumding broad–gauge project will be completed by March, 2015.

The statement submitted by Raj Kumar Das, Deputy Chief Engineer, Construction Company–2, NF Railways (construction) says that the construction of 12 tunnels out of 17 have already been completed. The rest of the five tunnels would be completed by 2014. It also states that for each kilometre distance, a total of 1,660 numbers of rails having high tensile strength of 52 kg each are being laid so that the express trains like Rajdhani, Satabdi could easily move through the path. However, in hilly terrain the train cannot exceed the speed of 70 km per hour.

The two judges Bench of the High Court has observed that it is one of the most important projects and to avoid unnecessary expenditures and to minimize the problems of the people, it should be completed as early as possible. It has underscored the importance of cooperation between the different departments of the Central government involved in the work. The judges have directed the railway authority to take necessary steps to avoid the problem of adequate funds for the project.

Moreover, the judges have passed an order asking the Centre and the railway authority to submit progress report of the work for the next four months. The next date of hearing was scheduled on September 25, 2013.

Addressing a press meet held here today, the members of the Citizens’ Forum briefed about all the observations made by the High Court at the hearing. They dubbed the observations of the two judges Bench as ‘historic’ and said that it has brought a ray of hope to the lakhs of people of this valley.

It can be recollected here that the PIL was filed by Dhruva Kumar Saha, advocate and Shyamal Kanti Deb, former ADC, on behalf of Citizens’ Forum. They had stated in their petition that the delay in Silchar–Lumding Broad Gauge project which was inaugurated with much fanfare in 1996 and was later declared a national project in 2004 has an adverse affect on the national exchequer as the project cost shot up from Rs 648 crore to Rs 4,255.37 crore. The PIL was filed against Union of India, State of Assam, and GM, NF Railway Headquarters.

Source: The Sentinel

ACKHSA Youth Front

ACKHSA Youth Front celebrates foundation day

SILCHAR, May 21: Members of the ACKHSA Youth Front celebrated its 30th foundation day at a function held here recently at Gupta House, located at Hailakandi road. The different distinguished personalities threw light on the history of the organizations. The programme began with the lighting of the auspicious lamp.

It was also the occasion to felicitate the former President of All Cachar Karimganj Hailakandi Students’ Association and the promising leader of the movement led by the students’ body for the establishment of a Central University in Barak Valley, Pradip Dutta Roy.

Speaking on the occasion, he recollected the past days and threw light on the relentless movement that was led by the ACKHSA for the establishment of Assam University in Silchar. He said that ACKHSA was formed in 1983 with a view to establish a Central University in Barak Valley for the larger interest of the students’ community.

He underlined the importance of movement to achieve the legitimate demands. He also brought into focus the undue delay of Silchar–Lumding BG, East–West Corridor project and other different issues and said that there was an urgent need of massive mass movement in order to implement all the long pending projects. He appealed to the former members of the students’ body to come forward to give direction to the youth of the present generation to fight for the legitimate demands.

Joydeep Dev, former secretary of the students’ body, delivered welcome address. He said that it was a remarkable occasion as they again got united and would now launch movement against different social evils. Promod Srivastava, president of ACKHSA Youth Front also spoke on the occasion and asserted that the youth front would fight for the larger interest of the society.

Source: The Sentinel

Silchar–Lumding BG and East–West Corridor projects

SSM on a mass demonstration

SILCHAR, May 20: In support of three point charter of demands which include expeditious completion of Silchar–Lumding BG and East–West Corridor projects and the renaming of Silchar Railway Station as Bhasa Sahid Station, the members of Sammiltho Sanskritik Mancha, an umbrella of 25 organizations, are on a mass demonstration here at Narsingtola ground here. The mass demonstration was started yesterday, the day celebrated as the 52nd Martyrdom of language martyrs in Barak Valley. Source: The Sentinel

Infrastructure projects of Barak Valley

Rally to reinforce demand for expeditious completion of pending projects

SILCHAR, May 17: Different social and cultural organizations under the banner of Sammlita Sanskritik Mancha (SSM) took out a mass rally here this evening in the memory of 11 martyrs who had laid down their lives for the sake of their mother tongue Bengali in 1961. The procession named ‘Maha Path Chala’ also raised demand for the expeditious completion of Silchar–Lumding BG and East–West Corridor projects and the renaming of Silchar Railway Station as Bhasa Sahid Station.

The procession comprising hundreds of people began from the Ranghirkhari point which after moving through the main thoroughfares of the town ended at the premises of Silchar Railway Station.

It is pertinent to mention here that it was in 1961 a historic mass movement was launched across the valley joined in by different linguistic and cultural groups demanding their fundamental, democratic and constitutional right of mother language, which came under attack from the State through bureaucratic interference and the conspiratorial design of linguistic jingoism and chauvinism. On May 19, 1961, the eleven unarmed youths had died in a sudden police firing at Silchar Railway Station while agitating along with thousands of people, demanding their fundamental right to read and write in their own mother tongue as guaranteed under clauses 39 and 40 of the Indian Constitution.

Their supreme sacrifices as martyrs continue to inspire the people to fight for the protection of their language, culture and identity. In order to pay respect to these brave hearts and to perpetuate their memory, the Mancha has been carrying on the movement with the involvement of people cutting across caste, creed and community for renaming the Railway Station. In support of the demand, recently the Mancha has met the Union Home Minister, Sushil Kumar Shinde.

The different organizations joined in the rally included Barak Artists Guild, Matri Bhasa Suraksha Samiti, Dhani Sahitya Chakra, AIDSO, ACKHSA, Cachar Hindi Bhashi Chatra Sangstha, Cachar Hindi Bhashi Sahitya Parishad, Rupam, Bhabikal, Kayanat, Nandanik, District Sports Association, members of different political parties, students of schools and colleges among others.

Source: The Sentinel

Silchar Lumding Broad Gauge Project

Condemnation day observed in Barak Valley

SILCHAR, May 8: Silchar Lumding Broad Gauge Rupayan Committee observed today as condemnation day in Barak Valley in protest against the lackadaisical attitude of the elected representatives of the valley towards the much awaited Silchar–Lumding BG project.

The members of three districts–Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi held a sit–in demonstration in the respective district headquarters, condemning the role of political representatives of this region.

In Silchar, the members of the SLBGRC along with the representatives of different social organizations staged sit–in demonstration in front of the statue of Khudiram Basu. The speakers vehemently condemned the indifferent attitude of seven MLAs and an MP of the district and slammed the Chief Minister of Assam as well as for maintaining an intriguing silence over the issue.

Ajoy Roy, convener, SLBGRSC, Cachar district, said that Tarun Gogoi though has been in power for the last 12 years, but he has never uttered a single word for the expeditious completion of the project. “It seems that he is not at all interested in the development of Barak Valley,” he added.

Taking a dig at the elected representatives of Barak Valley, Roy said that 15 MLAs and two MPs of this valley have also not showed any kind of interest for the early completion of the project. “Our MLAs have failed to create pressure on the CM for the early completion of the project. Both the MPs have also not raised the issue on the floor of the Parliament,” he added.

He said that the target date of this BG track has been changing with the passage of time and the government has been taking the help of different ploys to hoodwink the people of this valley for the last one decade. “After all the hurdles of land acquisition and insurgency, the project has been dragging its feet year after year with new promises and assurances about which people are no more convinced,” he said.

Slamming the elected representatives of Barak Valley, Ajoy Roy said that the politicians are playing politics with the vital issue of connectivity and taking the people of Barak Valley for a ride. He suspected a deep rooted conspiracy by the transport lobby as he said that if BG gets started the shining business of the transport lobby would come to an end.

Bisawjit Das, secretary, Sammilitho Sanskritik Mancha, appealed to the people of the valley to come forward in support of this legitimate demand cutting across the caste, creed, religion and political ideology. He said that unless the people get united and resort to mass movement, the BG would remain a distant dream.

He said that the Silchar–Guwahati road has turned out to be “a dead road” as it took around 25–30 hours for the people to reach from one place to other and thus Silchar–Lumding BG has become a need of the hour. The secretary of the SSM said that keeping the spirit of language martyrs, they have taken a series of protest programme too for the immediate completion of Silchar–Lumding BG and East West Corridor projects on the eve of the Language Martyrs’ Day celebration which falls on May 19.

Expressing his deepest sense of displeasure at the way ‘the syndicate’ has in cohorts been trying to sabotage the BG, the dream project of the people, Dipak Sengupta, district secretary, Barak Upathakya Banga Sahitya O Sanskritik Sammelan, said that the BG when completed would not only provide faster and easier connectivity but also lead to rapid development of the region.

In Karimganj, the SLBGRSC along with different social organizations held similar protest demonstration at Chantar Bazar area. Nandan Nath, Piklu Das, Nirmalya Das were among others who spoke on the occasion.

The Hailakandi unit of the organization took out a rally and held street corner meetings at different areas of the town with a view to garner the mass support for the legitimate demand. Sushil Paul, convener, Hailakandi unit, said that the extremely slow progress of the gauge conversion project has shattered the emotion and sentiments of the people of the four districts having almost a population of one and half crore. Source: The Sentinel