Members of the Opposition parties in Assam stormed the city streets and the Assembly on Tuesday on the issues of the multicrore rupee financial scam in Dima Hasao district and fuel price hike. They broke security cordons, prompting the police to resort to baton charge and teargas near Dispur.
The Opposition demanded the resignation of the Tarun Gogoi-led Congress coalition government for its failure to curb price hike and the siphoning off of development funds, meant for the tribal people in the hill district, in a nexus with insurgents and corrupt government officials and contractors.
Workers injured
Several workers of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the All-India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) and other Opposition parties were injured as the police resorted to baton charge and firing of tear gas shells when thousands of protestors advanced towards the Dispur capital complex and tried to break security cordons.
Leaders and workers of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the Communist Party of India (CPI), the Bodoland People's Progressive Front (BPPF), the Samata Party and the Samajwadi Party also took part in the protest.
The Opposition leaders led by Mr. Patowary used the rooftop of a vehicle as a dais for an impromptu public meeting to address the participants of the “March to Dispur” programme on the busy Guwahati-Shillong road.
Others who addressed the rallyists included senior AGP leader and former Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, State BJP president Ranjit Dutta, AIUDF leader Aditya Langthasa and BPPF president Rabiram Narzary.
