Stir threat over ministry downsizing

GUWAHATI, July 9 ? Several Bengali organisations of Brahmaputra Valley in Assam today threatened to launch an agitation to protest the absence of any representative of their community in the recently downsized Congress government in the State, reports PTI. ?There are three 'Hindu Bengali' MLAs in the Congress from the Brahmaputra Valley and none has found a place in the ministry with even a senior leader, Dr Ardhendu Dey, the former Agriculture minister, having been dropped,? president of Sangyukta Yuba Chatra Parishad of Assam, Sanjay Kumar Chakraborty told reporters here. The organisations have formed a committee 'Linguistic Minority Coordination Committee' which will soon launch an agitation to press for their demands. Chakraborty said they would observe a fast in front of the Assembly on July 12 when the session starts to highlight their demands. On July 7 a bandh was observed in Hojai, the Assembly constituency of Dr Dey, which has a large population of Bengalis, in protest against his removal.