AKRSU withdraws 1,000-hr blockade in Assam

Guwahati, Dec 28 (UNI) The All Koch Rajbonshi Students' Union (AKRSU) today announced of temporarily withdrawing its 1,000-hour blockade from January one.

Disclosing this at a press meet here, AKRSU president Biswajit Ray said the decision to withdraw the blockade was taken to facilitate the participation of the general people in the Panchayat polls, which begins in a three-phase from December 31.

He said, ''The Panchayat election enables the people at the grassroots to participate in a democratic process. We don't want to disrupt it.'' He added that the AKRSU would maintain a neutral role in the local bodies' election.

On the blockade issue, Mr Ray said the Chief Minister's assurance, through state Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma and press advisor Deba Prasad Bora, of a tripartite meeting involving the AKRSU, state and central government had prompted the AKRSU to suspend the agitation.

''If the talks don't come through by January, we will launch on massive agitation in February,'' he added.

The AKRSU had been demanding accord of scheduled tribe status to Koch Rajbonshi community and a Kamatapur state out of parts of western Assam and North Bengal.

UNI