John Wilbert & Lagnesh Kumar
Port Blair, July 17: The Andaman and Nicobar State unit of Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) today organized a massive protest rally to press 25 demands related to Island Development.
Although the actual plan was to organize Andaman Bandh but just few hours before the Bandh the President of Andaman and Nicobar State unit of Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) Mr. Ajoy Bairagi called a Press Briefing last night and declared to call off Andaman Bandh. However, he said that protest rally and dharna will be carried out as per plan on Friday (today).
“Considering the re-opening of all Govt. Schools for teachers throughout A & N Islands and also considering the hardship likely to be faced by the general public under the prevailing pandemic of COVID-19, the State Unit of Bharatiya Janata Party has taken a decision to withdraw the call of “Bandh” only. All other Dharna & Pradarshan will take place as announced earlier, by adhering to all preventive measures and guidelines of COVID-19,” Mr. Ajoy Bairagi said last night.
However, the protest rally organized this morning from BJP office of Port Blair witnessed tremendous response from public and party workers as thousands of BJP workers and supporters joined the rally.
The rally went through Port Blair city raising slogans against alleged autocratic and undemocratic style of functioning of Andaman and Nicobar Administration.
There are also reports of minor scuffle with Mahila Morcha workers of BJP with police personnel near Tiranga Park after which large number of BJP workers sat on Dharna infornt of Police Station of Aberdeen. Senior BJP leaders expressed their anger on the way Mahila Morcha members were dealt by police, especially by some male police staffs.
“21 Associations and Unions had supported Andaman Bandh. The condition in Andaman will improve and I will assure you that because I have already spoken to high command this morning,” said the President of Andaman and Nicobar State unit of Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) Mr. Ajoy Bairagi while addressing a huge gathering of protesting Party workers and public.
Mr. Vishal Jolly, former President of A & N State BJP unit, Mr. M Vinod, Vice President of A & N State BJP unit and other leaders addressed the gathering and accused of Administration of working against the interest of people of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
