[Assam] Stop bandh culture in Assam

[Pradip Kumar Datta]

Stop bandh culture in Assam
  
— Uzzal Sarma
   
  Generally we know about three kinds of pollution mainly air, water and sound pollution but a new kind of pollution has emerged which is called bandh pollution. It is a very dangerous type of pollution which may spread through sound and air and already it has polluted the air of Assam. Bandh pollution may be of different categories viz Assam bandh, Upper Assam bandh, Lower Assam bandh, district bandh, subdivision bandh, town bandh, path bandh, Chaka bandh and Bharat bandh etc. These bandh pollution can be sub classified into various forms or durations – 12 hour bandh, 24 hour bandh, 36 hour bandh, 48 hour bandh and most dangerous one is the 1000 hour bandh which recently polluted almost all the news papers. Bandh is such a dangerous pollution that it influences the media first and then within a very short span of time it affects the citizens at large. One cannot measure the quantum of pollution created by the bandh by the golden scale of measurement but it is such a
 dangerous pollution that people after hearing about bandh through media or else never take any kind of risk, they simply confine themselves in their homes without doing any normal activities. Bankers close down their shutters and obviously the shopkeepers, bus and truck owners stop their vehicles, government employees, private workers, school teachers, students and even the daily wage earners are compelled to cease their works and confine themselves in their homes. It can be recognised as a virus which directly affects the human mind and body and being affected by the virus, people cannot do their normal activities but they have to sit idle only. One cannot drive a car, or motor bike and people become so affected by this bandh virus that any untoward thing may happen.

The important ingredient of this bandh virus is that it can spread easily. No matter where you are, you may be at a neighbouring country or somewhere else but you may spread the bandh virus within a short span of time simply by doing a fax or a telephone call to the media. You may get the result the very next day, the whole State having a total population of 2,66,38,407, with a total area of 78,522 sq km with 23 districts will become affected and remain closed. Why the media entertain such bandh news is a big question and an issue to be discussed.

Different organisations, groups, political parties and individuals are trying to purchase the State of Assam. General people, first class citizens, doctors, engineers, lawyers, scholars and merchants are mere spectators to these sale deal. Big people wearing kurtas and pajamas are sitting in the seat of auctions to bid for the State. Different issues have been raised by different organisations to sell the State and when their issues are not fulfilled, they spread the virus of bandh. I am not against protest and agitation but protest should be legal. Our country is having a legal system and various courts have been established in different corners of the country. If someone’s legal rights have been infringed or snatched away by someone’s action (may be by the government) then he/she may approach the court of law instead of calling illegal bandh. We hear about Japan where strikes, lockouts and bandhs are observed by working overtime, extra-time to protest against their
 employers.

It is proper time to pass a law by the legislature to restrain the illegal bandh calls. An act should be of such a nature that those who call bandh should penalised for at least one month without having the opportunity of bail so that they may celebrate bandh in the jail without hampering anyone.

Recently we saw the Beltola incident on the TV news but it is seen that a never ending big issue has been created by some individuals for their own benefits. Journalists were questioning the Chief Minister about the nude Adivasi girl who was stripped by two or three anti-social elements and it was captured by the camera. Nothing should be questioned, everything was clear, those who committed the anti-human activities are simply criminals and they never represent the Assamese society at large. Both of them are simply criminals, who first damaged public properties during the rally and those who retaliated with heavy blows. The administration should identify those criminals and arrest them as few of them were already arrested. But instead of identifying and helping the administration, few individuals have tried to give a new dimension to the Beltola incident and called Assam bandh, Upper Assam bandh, Chaka bandh, path bandh for 12 hours, 24 hours, 36 hours and even 1000 hours.
 Does such bandh bring any justice? Definitely not. But certainly those bandhs bring injustice to the society at large affecting top to bottom right from the daily wage earners to the big merchants incurring heavy loss to the society as a whole.

In fact, bandh is a negative word which does not bring progress. We may recall that the great patriot Lachit Borphukan, who after hearing the word ‘bandh’, became so furious that he separated his uncle’s head from his body with his sword. We need more Lachits today to bring the chaotic State to order.

If we look at our calendar for 2008 then we can see that a minimum of 47 days have been declared as holidays due to festivals etc out of total 365 days. This means one and half month will remain closed due to festivals and out of remaining 318 days, 52 days will be closed as Sunday and another 12 days will be closed due to 2nd Saturday and again 12 days will be closed due to 4th Saturday. There are also restricted holidays. This year four months will remain closed out 12 months and only 8 months will remain for necessary works to do. If we want to keep ourselves at par with outside world then we have to work hard, otherwise we will be lagging far behind. Therefore, we do not want further wastage of working days through bandh, strike, path bandh etc. We hope that people in general and different organisations in particular will think twice before declaring any bandh or strike during the year 2008. Let good sense prevail upon all the organisations and individuals. Hope, this
 new year will bring peace and harmony to the State and nobody will call and celebrate bandh. Assam Tribune Editorial 07.01.08

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