[Assam] Bandh and its impact -Bibekananda Gogoi , "TheSentinel " 11.02.2007

Sat Feb 10 17:08:07 EST 2007

Bandh and its impact -Bibekananda Gogoi 

  North-east India is located between 2000 N lat and 29030' N lat and 890 46' E and 970 30' E long surrounded almost on all sides by foreign countries, except a narrow corridor which links it with the rest of the country. Top Industrialists hardly dare to invest capital in this region due to its geographical isolation, insurgency problem and the frequent bandh syndrome. Acording to Henry V Jardine , “Bandhs are disturbing, not just because people are denied basic public services. What is even more distrubing is the very negation of future prosperity, a resounding 'no' to investment and 'no' to future jobs." As compared to the other states statistical report reveals that our region is industrially below average although we have vast potential for agro-based and mineral-based industries. The root of this underdevelopment is that frequent calls for bandhs from political and other organizations often paralyze economic forces.
It is observed that since 1979 till today, on an average 75 days of Bandh have been observed in a year particularly in the State of Assam besides paid holiday by the Govt. of Assam. Statistical reports have classified the number of bandhs called by different parties, organizations in the State of Assam during the period from 2001 to 2006 under three major categories as (A) Assam Bandh (B) Upper Assam/Lower Assam/Middle Assam Bandh and (C) District Bandh. If we consider the year 2001: (1) Total bandh of Assam 9 days (2) Total Upper Assam/Lower Assam/Middle Assam Bandh 14 days and (3) District Bandh 36 days. In the year 2006, total bandh in Assam have been observed on about 17 days, Upper Assam/Lower Assam/Middle Assam bandh on 5 days and District Bandh on 33 days. Of course, there are other forms of democratic protest like demonstration, lock-up, Hartal, Hunger strike etc. whereby political parties and other organizations take advantage of our democratic country for cheap
 popularity. However, despite all these bandhs, peace-rallies , protest meetings, demonstrations etc. violence is continuing unbated. Whenever something happens, a bandh call is given by some organization or other. Very often it is ridiculous how some organizations merely issue a statement through the media calling for bandhs and surprisingly they become successful without people even knowing the cause of bandh. It is easy to call for a bandh yet impossible to meet the losses incurred thereby. Bandhs do not bring peace or solve any problem but rather they bring in more unrest.
Most of the bandh calls are given to protest some Govt. decision, but the common people are the worst sufferers. The affect of Bandh on various sectors of the economy of the State has been analysed and it has been found that the State Govt. of Assam loses average Rs 41.14 crore in a single day due to these bands. A detailed study has been conducted by the Federation of Industries & Commerce of North Eastern REgion and NEDFi to study the impact of bandh on the Economy of Assam in the year 2001 to 2002. The main purpose of the study is to make an assessment of the impact of Bandh on various sectors like (a) Transport (b) Trade (c) Industry (d) Tourism (e) Banking Sector (f) Tax and Sales (g) Public Administration (h) Education and (i) State Domestic Product.
It is observed that daily wage earners like manual labourers, vendors, hawkers, Dhobis, Rickshaw-Pullers etc. are the worst sufferers when their income plummets to almost zero and many of them even cannot manage to provide for for their family members. Bandhs are detrimental to the educational atmosphere, they are one of the main reasons forthe deplorable results of students in the North-east.Many students of the state migrate to other states further aggravating the poor economic condition of the region. It has been observed that the media also at times unnecesarily highlights the bandh calls given by the different organizations.
Infact, the situation has come to such a pass that any organization calls for a bandh and the same is observed by the people religiously. The citizens do not have any protection for resenting such a bandh culture. An appeal by various Eminent Citizens of the State to the people of Assam to make an end to the Bandh culture in the state highlights the magnitude of loss the State suffers because of the bandhs.
It is absolutely necessary in the interest of the public for judicial intervention to arrest the bandh culture. Various Hon’ble Courts of the country as well as the Hon’ble Supreme Court have come down heavily on the sponsors of these Bandhs.
In Assam, the impact of the Bandhs on the economy of the State is very high as compared to other states .A public petition through PIL case No. 72 of 2005 of Shri Mrinal Talukdar & Others vs The State of Assam & Others before the Hon’ble Gauhati High Court pleads for issuance of necessary directon to the state respondents to cut the menace of Bandh Culture in the State of Assam, while ensuring the security of its citizens. 
Our state as well as other parts in the NE has gone through uprecedented violence and terrorism has gnawed at the very root of this land. It is disheartening that Bandhs are called during National Festivals like the Independence Day and Republic Day, as a result of which the younger generation is debarred from commemorating these landmark dates.
It is observed that on bandh called by any organisation, the state suffers substantial losses and also delay in decision making, planning and implementation of works for development of the States. Bandhs create negative impact and scare away outside investors interested in new business or in improving the existing sick industries of the States. Bandhs are called on diverse issues to fulfill their demands and also it may have justification. But there are other forms of democratic protests instead of calling for bandhs. The organisers of these bandhs may be reminded that bandhs do not bring peace progress and integrity but rather they hamper the peace process and welfare of the state.

  "TheSentinel " 11.02.2007  

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