Guwahati: More than 2,000 CPM protesters were detained in Guwahati on Wednesday after police stopped the Left party’s “March to Dispur”, organised to demand immediate relief and rehabilitation for flood-hit people in upper Assam and a judicial inquiry into the causes of the floods.The action came amid an indefinite sit-in by Raijor Dal president and Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi on the Assam assembly premises. Gogoi is seeking enhanced compensation for two lakh flood-affected families in upper Assam and has threatened to intensify statewide protests if govt does not respond to his demands by Wednesday night.Hundreds of protesters from across Assam were intercepted, detained and taken by bus to the Chachal protest ground. At Guwahati railway station, protesters broke through barricades while marching towards Volvo Point in Ulubari, leading to scuffles with police. Senior CPM leaders, including state secretary Suprakash Talukdar, were also detained. The party described the police action as “undemocratic and repressive”.The protesters also demanded that the floods in upper Assam be declared a “calamity of severe nature”, the establishment of a North East Flood Management Authority, and recognition of floods and erosion in Assam as a national problem. They also sought urgent steps to control the rising prices of essential commodities and the immediate resignation of chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.“Thousands of people from different parts of the state, including far-flung areas, came to Guwahati to participate in the programme. However, the police and civil administration imposed a virtual ban on the assembly and movement of protesters and heavily barricaded the entry points to Guwahati,” Talukdar said. He added that there were scuffles between protesters and police at several points.Later, CPM leaders submitted a memorandum addressed to the chief minister to police officials at the Chachal protest ground.Meanwhile, Gogoi has been on an indefinite sit-in at the Assam Assembly for five days, demanding prompt and “complete compensation” for more flood-hit families in Upper Assam by Oct 31.“We do not know to what extent this protest will go from tomorrow if the govt does not give us a positive assurance by tonight,” Gogoi said on Wednesday.He demanded enhanced financial assistance for two lakh families affected by the floods that hit Sivasagar and neighbouring districts on July 19. Raijor Dal has sought compensation of up to Rs 10 lakh for the worst-affected families and commercial establishments.
