protest walk
Dibakar Borah Thengal

27-year-old youth  Dibakar Borah Thengal from Naharkatia in Dibrugarh will go on a ‘solo protest walk’ from Dibrugarh to Dispur on April 2, covering the 443-km road distance by foot to meet Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and seek solution to the burning problems of the state.

Thengal on Friday staged a 72-hour hunger strike from 9 am in front of the Chowkidinghee playground. After completing the hunger strike, he will proceed on the long walk to Dispur which he has christened the ‘Anurodh Yatra’.

“I will start the padyatra from Dibrugarh to Dispur on April 2 at 12 noon. I will meet the Chief Minister at his office and seek solution to the various problems of the state. I have prepared a list of 15 major issues which I will be submitting to him. On the way I will meet various people. They can submit in my hand their grievances in writing which I will hand over to the CM personally,” Thengal said.

Thengal added that he will seek solution to the current impasse of the Assam Women’s University, women’s safety and punishment of the guilty through fast track court, upgradation of education system and provision of higher education at low cost, safeguard of farmers by implementing policy for proper pricing of their products, financial assistance to youths under various government schemes, increase in daily wages of tea labourers, steps against price hike, special status for Assam, sealing of international border and declaration of flood as national problem.

The other demands are withdrawal of government’s decision to privatize oil fields of the state, setting up of new industries, passing the Citizens Amendment Bill 2016, facilities and proper forum for the development of sports of the state, security of working journalists, development of Assamese film industry and steps to make Assam free from drugs.

Avik Chakraborty is Northeast Now Correspondent in Dibrugarh. He can be reached at: [email protected]