Martyrs kin resort to hunger strike

GUWAHATI, March 27: About 200 members of families of martyrs who laid down their lives during six-year-long Assam agitation, today resorted to indefinite hunger-strike at Dispur Last Gate here demanding fulfilment of their 12-point charter of demands. Talking to The Assam Tribune, the general secretary of All Assam Martyrs Co-ordination Parishad (AAMCP), Rajen Deka informed that family members of 855 martyrs were extremely unhappy with the present AGP-led Government for its failure to take care of their interests. He informed that so far the AGP Government during its tenure could provide employment to only 175 relatives of martyrs while thousands others were left to live in abject poverty and hardship. Bolin Bora, brother of swahid Anil Bora who fell prey to bullets of Government forces on February 18, 1983 at Sarupathar, expressed his anguish over indifferent attitude of their local MLA who is also a Minister towards the interests of families of martyrs whose ultimate sacrifice was instrumental in seeing AGP in power. The general secretary of Parishad informed that State Minister for Co-operation, Nurul Hussain this morning requested the members of Parishad to come for a discussion at his chamber instead of resorting to agitation. However, the Parishad was yet to comply with the request of the Minister till late afternoon. The demand of the Parishad included implementation of all clauses of Assam Accord, rehabilitation of relatives of Assam agitation martyrs and sufferers, cash payment as a relief to martyrs families and the families of those who were rendered disable during the agitation, allotment of land to construct Swahid Memorial Guest House in the city, preparation of a correct electoral roll in the State, withdrawal of IMDT Act and other Black Laws now imposed in the State, completion of border fencing work, allotment of land in every district headquarter in the name of AAMCP to build Swahid Smriti Bhawan.