Last year when the protest against the Citizenship(Amendment) Act had reached its zenith in Assam, the then AASU general secretary, Lurinjyoti Gogoi, in a gathering announced that prevailing situation was conducive for forming a new regional political party that could fulfil the hopes and aspirations of the indigenous people of the state. This year's summer the people of Assam witnessed two new influential political parties, floated separately by some pressure groups namely the All Assam Students' Union(AASU) and the Asom Jatiyatavadi Yuva Chatra Parishad(AJYCP), and the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samity(KMSS) and its allied non-political organizations.
The AASU and the AJYCP have jointly formed the political party known as the Asom Jatiya Parishad(AJP). The Raijor Dal is the other new political party floated by the KMSS and its allied organizations. However, their well-wishers that include some Assamese intellectuals are apprehensive that no party could unseat the BJP-led front from the power in Assam, if the Opposition parties contest separately in the state assembly elections scheduled to be held in 2021. Many people are seen advising the newly formulated regional parties to make a pre-poll alliance between them. Even some have suggested the leaderships of the AJP and the Raijor Dal to form alliance with the Congress and the AIUDF, led by Badaruddin Ajmal. In the meanwhile, the Congress and the AIUDF did a pact to fight jointly in the upcoming assembly elections. These had jointly contested the recently concluded the Bodoland Territorial Council elections. But the election was seen a blow to the both parties as these won only one seat out of total 40.
Girishankar Goswami, the state chief convenor of Raijor Dal, in an exclusive chat with this writer, categorically stated that they would not form any alliance with the Congress and the AIUDF under any circumstances. But he has hoped that the Raijor Dal is hoping to form an alliance with the AJP before the upcoming assembly polls. “ During the six-year-long Assam Movement, more than eight hundreded protestors lost their lives in the police atrocities. Then, the Congress was in the government. So, how could we form an alliance with such a party?”, Goswami added. He has also termed the BJP and the AIUDF as communal parties. The young political leader has also claimed that they have support of the 90 percent indigenous people of the state and tried to translate their support into votes. “We have a strong support base in both the valleys in the state, i.e. the Brahmaputra and the Barak. We hope to fight in the upcoming elections jointly with the AJP”, the leader further said.
It can be noted that the Asom Gana Parishad(AGP), which ruled the state twice was formed in 1985 after the end of the historic Assam Movement. But it failed to fulfill its promises given to the indigenous populace of the state. In the 2016 Assam assembly elections, the AGP formed alliance with the BJP and won 14 seats out of the total 126. But this time the regional party has been facing the most indigenous people's ire.
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The irony is stark: while Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s government is carrying out aggressive eviction drives in the plains—Lakhimpur, Dhubri, Goalpara and Uriamghat—similar demands raised in Karbi Anglong are being met with police crackdowns instead of action.
Rongphar had been leading a series of mass protests, insisting that Bengali and Bihari settlers occupying VGR and PGR...
On the auspicious occasion of the birth centenary of Bharat Ratna Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, the Assam government has handed over the legendary singer’s neglected residence at Kuthori, Kaziranga, to local residents for preservation.
For the past five years, the house—once vibrant with the maestro’s harmonium, tabla, and compositions—had fallen into disrepair, leaving fans and admirers disheartened. Although the government had acquired the property at a cost of ₹2.51 crore from Fatik Nyog five years ago, no concrete conservation efforts had been initiated since.
Responding to repeated demands from villagers, the government announced today that the residence will be developed into a cultural...
The University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) celebrated the 100th birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Dr. Bhupen Hazarika with a vibrant cultural programme at its Central Auditorium.
Themed “Voice of Bhupen Hazarika: Voice of the People; Leading to a Harmonious Society,” the event featured visual presentations, floral tributes, and lively performances by students and faculty.
Prasanta Rajguru, Editor-in-Chief of Prag News, delivered the keynote, highlighting five iconic songs of the maestro and their historical relevance. Actor Kamal Singh presented a special tribute performance, while dignitaries including Dr. Aparna Buzarbaruah graced the occasion.
The celebration...
In a landmark wildlife discovery, the elusive Pallas’s Cat has been documented for the first time in Arunachal Pradesh during an extensive high-altitude survey jointly conducted by the Department of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Government of Arunachal Pradesh and WWF-India.
The survey, carried out between July and September 2024, involved 136 camera traps across 2,000 sq km of rugged terrain in Tawang and West Kameng districts. It not only produced the first photographic record of Pallas’s Cat in the state, but also revealed the presence of five other wild cats — snow leopard, common leopard, clouded leopard, leopard cat, and marbled cat — at elevations above 4,200 metres...
In a historic gathering that marks a new chapter in Moran political mobilization, the Moran community today formally launched its new political platform, Jatiya Gan Mancha (National People’s Forum), at a mass assembly held at Kakopathar public ground. The event was convened under the aegis of leading Moran organizations, including the Assam Moran Sabha, All Moran Students’ Union, Moran Mahila Parishad, Moran Sahitya Sabha, Moran Art & Culture Development Centre, and the Moran National Educational Development Forum.
The assembly commenced with ceremonial tributes to the community’s forebears, accompanied by devotional songs and cultural performances, setting a solemn and festive tone...
The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) loves to wear the mantle of regionalism. It proudly recalls its birth from the Assam Agitation and the sacrifices of 855 martyrs. Yet every fresh controversy over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) exposes the party for what it has become: a political outfit addicted to power, reduced to theatrics whenever Assamese identity is threatened.
The script is depressingly familiar. In 2019, when CAA protests shook Assam, AGP staged a high-decibel drama—ministers resigned, alliance with the BJP was declared broken, the party promised to stand with the people. Two months later, under the cover of midnight negotiations, AGP crawled back into power, its leaders...
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Loriak points to everyday hypocrisy: bribing to bypass queues, fastening seatbelts only when police are in sight, dismissing domestic violence as a “private matter,” normalizing harassment, and celebrating VIP culture while preaching equality.
Quoting the Constitution—Article 14 on Equality, Article 21 on the Right to Life with Dignity, and Article...
In a swift development following public outrage, Assam Police have arrested three officials of Bhartia Infra Projects Ltd (BIPL) after the tragic death of a three-year-old boy who fell into an uncovered drain at the Arya Nagar flyover construction site in Guwahati. The incident, which occurred earlier this week, triggered shock across the city and led to demands for accountability from both the company and government authorities.
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Guwahati, September 5: On the occasion of Teachers’ Day, the All Assam Non-Provincialised Teachers’ and Employees’ Association strongly condemned the state government for neglecting their long-standing demand for provincialisation of services.
Addressing a press conference at Dispur Press Club today, the organisation’s leaders narrated the decades of hardship faced by nearly 4,500 teachers and employees who continue to serve schools and colleges without provincial status. Many of them have been working since the 1990s but remain deprived of government recognition and financial security.
Association secretary Purabi Kalita Saikia termed the new provincialisation law introduced by the...
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