Rabindranath Biswas
Diglipur, Nov. 08: As per the schedule, the Andaman & Nicobar Territorial Congress Committee (ANTCC) held a Chakka Jam & Jail Bharo Andolan at Diglipur today.
As per report, the Chakka Jam & Jail Bharo Andolan was called by ANTCC under the leadership of Mr. G. Bhasker, Chairman, Campaign Committee, ANTCC. To materialise the andolan, a bandh called by the ANTCC. Responding to the bandh call, the shopkeepers of Diglipur Bazaar kept their shops closed during the protest. However, in order to ensure that the normal traffic isn’t disrupted, the local Police took necessary steps and diverted the routes through various ways. Since the bandh started after 08.30 AM, the school going students, office goers and others didn’t have to face the wrath of the situation.
The demonstrators sat across the road in Diglipur Bazaar’s central location and registered their protests. They shouted slogans and delivered speeches one after another. ANTCC leaders lashed out at the Central Government as well as the A & N Administration and said that they failed on various fronts, and as a result of which the people of these islands are suffering. Though the dilapidated condition of the NH/ATR from Baratang to Diglipur remained the central point of issue throughout the protest, there were a plethora of other issues which found place in their protest as well. The prime demands in the Chakka Jam & Jail Bharo Andolan were assurance from the Administration on the early completion of NH-4, handing over of NH-4 work to the APWD, immediate allotment of additional funds by the Administration for the early completion of the NH-4, daily ship service and Helicopter service to Kadamtala, Rangat, Mayabunder and Diglipur until the road work is completed, visit of the Lt. Governor and Chief Secretary by road within a week to personally experience the hardships being faced by the residents of Middle and North Andaman, immediate posting of senior specialists in Diglipur, Mayabunder and Rangat to attend the patients who are unable to reach Port Blair for medical emergencies and written assurance by the Administration on all the demands.
During the bandh, the Assistant Commissioner, Diglipur and the DySP, Diglipur reached at the location of the bandh and spoke to all protesting people. The local Administrators gave a patient hearing and then Mr. G. Bhasker handed over them the representations. The AC & DySP then requested the protesting leaders to lift the bandh so as to bring the law and order to normalcy; however the leaders objected to their request and withdraw the protest. The Police then lifted Mr. G. Bhasker and other protestors and took them in a STS bus to the Police Station, Diglipur at around 11:00 AM. The people then gradually dispersed while the protest came to a close for the day.
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