Voters relieved shutdown withdrawn in Assam districts

Guwahati, April 11 (IANS) Voters in Assam's Karbi Anglong district have heaved a sigh of relief after two militant outfits Friday withdrewn the indefinite shutdown slapped in the district since last Monday.

The two hill districts of Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao in Assam fall under the Diphu (Autonomous Council) Lok Sabha constituency, which is going to polls Saturday along with Silchar and Karimganj Lok Sabha constituencies.

Two militant outfits - the Karbi Peoples' Liberation Tigers (KPLT) and Karbi National Liberation Army (KNLA) - had called an indefinite bandh in the twin districts demanding the political parties and candidates to make their stand clear on the demand for creating a separate autonomous state involving both the districts.

Both the outfit, however, decided to withdraw the bandh Friday to facilitate the people of the district to exercise their right to vote and elect a "right" candidate in the constituency for its overall development.

Although the militants have called bandh in both the hill districts, it did not have much of an effect in Dima Hasao district.

"It is great news that the outfit had withdrawn the bandh. This will ensure a free and fair polling in the districts. The polling would have affected if the bandh continued," said Robin Kro, a student of Diphu Government College.

"Both Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao districts are the most backward districts in Assam. So, it is very important for the people to vote and vote to elect the right leader so that he can work and bring in development here. However, bandhs, boycotts and subversive activities by militants are very common here and it is difficult for the common man to defy the diktats of the militants," said Dinesh Das, a senior citizen based in Diphu.