AS-RESERVATION-BANDH

Protesters burnt tyres and kept

tree trunks on roads to block movement of vehicles in Bodoland

Territorial Area districts during a 12-hour Assam bandh called

by a conglomerate of tribal organisations on Friday.

The bandh has been called by the Coordination

Committee of the Tribal Organisations of Assam (CCTOA) to

protest a bill that seeks to grant Scheduled Tribe (ST) status

to six ethnic communities in the state.

The bandh was near total in the Bodoland Territorial

Area Districts (BTAD) such as Kokrajhar, Udalguri, Baksa and

Chirang, Bongaigaon, besides in tribal-dominated areas of

Morigaon, Nagaon, Hojai, Dima Hasao and Karbi Anglong

districts.

Bandh supporters attempted to block movement of

vehicles on National Highways and other roads by burning tyres

and laying tree trunks in the early hours of the bandh, police

said.

Trucks were stranded on NH-36 at Doboka, they said.

Shops, markets, educational institutions, banks,

private offices remained closed, while vehicles kept off the

road.

Attendance in government offices was thin due to

absence of public transport in the bandh-hit areas, police

said, adding that the bandh had no impact in the state

capital.

Security arrangements were stepped up in view of the

bandh in Assam which is also witnessing massive protests over

the Citizenship Amendment Bill.

This bandh comes close on the heels of a 11-hour

strike called on Tuesday against the Citizenship (Amendment)

Bill.

Bandh sponsors have criticised the BJP-led Central

governments move to pass the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes)

Amendment Bill, stating it would eliminate the "genuine tribal

people" of the state.

The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Amendment Bill

seeks to accord ST status to six ethnic groups --

Koch-Rajbongshis, Tea Tribes/Adivasis, Tai Ahoms, Morans,

Motoks and Chutia -- was tabled in Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

The bandh is also supported by Dimasa Students Union,

Hmar Students Association, All Biate Students Association,

Hrangkhol Students Association, All Dimasa Students Union,

Khasi Students Union, Karbi Students Association.