GUWAHATI, Dec 15 ? The North East Students? Organisation (NESO) has launched a region-wide movement from today demanding hundred percent reservation of jobs in all the Central Government offices for local candidates. Members of the NESO began 72 hour hunger strike from 11 am today in most of the state headquarters of the region. NESO chairman Samujjal Bhattacharya said that the hunger strike in Shillong has been postponed till December 17 in view of the prevailing situation in Meghalaya, while, the strike in Itanagar has also been postponed due to a cultural festival. In Guwahati, members of the NESO began the fast today at the banks of Dighalipukhuri.
Bhattacharya said that the NESO had given an ultimatum to the Central Government to take effective steps to fulfil the long pending demands by December 13, but the Centre failed to respond positively. Apart from the demand for hundred per cent reservation of jobs, the other demands of the NESO include punishment to the persons involved in train attacks in Bihar, compensation to the victims of train attacks, solution to the problem of influx of foreigners into the region, protection of human rights, proper manpower planning for the youths of the region etc.
The NESO chairman said that the Central Government, by not paying heed to the democratic movements, is sending a wrong signal to the people of the region. He alleged that the situation in the region deteriorated because of the apathetic attitude of the Central Government towards the problems of the region and the situation would only deteriorate if the Centre keeps on showing such attitude towards the region. He also alleged that the Members of Parliament from the region failed to play their part in the interest of development of the region and called upon all the MPs from, the region to take a unified stand in the interest of North East.
Bhattacharya warned that the NESO would be forced to launch a more vigorous movement if the Central Government fails to respond positively to the hunger strike launched by the NESO all over the region and ?we may even be forced to go for a North East bandh if the Centre fails to show positive attitude towards the problems of the region.? The NESO chairman also alleged that no Central Minister tried to meet the victims of the train attacks in Bihar, not to speak of paying compensation to them, which sows their lack of interest in the well being of the people of North East.
Meanwhile, the All Assam Students? Union (AASU) today alleged that the State Government was harassing innocent people in the name of apprehending the culprits involved in attacks on people belonging to Bihari community in the upper Assam districts of Tinsukia and Dibrugarh.
In a release here, AASU president Prabin Boro and general secretary Amiya Kumar Bhuyan said that AASU members will stage hunger strike all over the State on December 19 in protest against harassment of innocent persons. They alleged that more than 50 innocent AASU members including school students were arrested by police and sent to jail. They warned that the situation would deteriorate if the Government fails to stop harassment of innocent persons in the name of apprehending the culprits and alleged that the State Government totally failed to give protection to life and property of people.