BDF calls for 12-hr bandh in Assam’s Barak Valley; police issues strict warning

The ECI had on Tuesday (June 20) released a draft of the proposed delimitation for Assam’s 126 assembly seats and 14 Lok Sabha seats

Assam’s Silchar-based political party Barak Democratic Front (BDF) has called for a 12-hour bandh in three districts – Barak Valley, Cachar Karimganj and Hailakandi, as a protest against the proposed delimitation draft by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

BDF chief convener Pradip Dutta Roy called for bandh in Assam’s Barak Valley (Representative Photo)

The ECI had on Tuesday (June 20) released a draft of the proposed delimitation for Assam’s 126 assembly seats and 14 Lok Sabha seats. According to the proposal, the assembly seats in the Barak Valley, which was 15 till the 2021 election, will be reduced to 13.

The proposal also states that some constituencies, parliamentary and, assembly are to be renamed and the boundaries of many would be redrawn. However, the draft was opposed by various sections of society in the Barak Valley and other parts of the state.

It was first scheduled for June 30, but on Saturday, they preponed it to June 27 later.

BDF chief convener Pradip Dutta Roy while briefing the media said that “for the larger interest of the people of this region, they have decided to call for the 12-hour bandh”.

After this, the Hailakandi police issued a warning to Roy and released an order stating, “We received input that a bandh has been called against delimitation order of Assembly and Parliamentary Constituency which is passed by Hon’ble Election Commission of India. You are therefore informed through this Notice US-149 CrPC to desist from getting involved in the cognizable offence.”

The police further wrote, “There are reasonable grounds that you will be involved in law and order problem which may lead towards the commission of serious cognizable offence. In the event of failure on your part, action will be initiated against you as per law.”

Roy was previously arrested by Cachar police in November 2021 under the charges of alleged crime against the state after he demanded Bengali language posters in government offices in Barak Valley.

Roy however said, “They (ECI) are supposed to take people’s opinions, but the 4.5 million of Barak Valley won’t get the chance to present their opinions. Hence, we are calling for the bandh to make our voice heard.”

Assam minister Parimal Suklabaidya, who comes from the Dholai assembly constituency, also expressed dissatisfaction over the ECI’s draft.

“I represent people of my constituency and most of them are unhappy with the name change and demographic reshuffles. As a citizen, I am also not happy and we will place our opinion before the state government,” he said.

Senior advocate and former member (judge), Foreigners Tribunal, Silchar, Dharmananda Deb claimed that this delimitation draft would increase gaps between elected representatives and the common people of the state.

He said that ECI is following the 2001 population census for the delimitation. The population in Assam in 2001 was 20.6 million, which has naturally increased in 20 years, he said. The National Registrar of Citizens (NRC) updating process, which began in 2015 following the 2011 census, had 30.2 million applicants, he added.

“In 1976 delimitation, Barak Valley had 14 seats which later increased to 15. Four decades later, ECI is reducing seats which is unscientific. This will reduce the representation of people in the state assembly, which is not good for democracy,” said the senior advocate.

Meanwhile, the Congress party also called for a bandh on June 27 against the ECI’s delimitation. Assam Congress’s working president Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha said that this is a conspiracy against the people of Barak Valley and also against a particular community.