Assam student’s body slams BJP government for prohibiting strikes

Guwahati, Aug 18 (IANS) Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chhatra Parishad (AJYCP), the leading students body in Assam, slammed the BJP-led state government on Thursday for prohibiting strikes by staff engaged in the oil and gas sector, terming it as yet another move to gag people's voice.

"This is another move of the BJP-led governments at the Centre and state to gag the voice of people. The promulgation of Essential Services Maintenance (Assam Act, 1980) in oil and Gas sector is done in view of the rising protest against the move to auction the 12 small oil and gas fields in the state," AJYCP President Biraj Kumar Talukdar said.

"People in this country are denied of their right to raise the voice of protest even after the country celebrated the 70th Independence Day. But we will never bow down to any suppressive tactic of the state or the Centre government and we are going to continue raising voice against these kinds of anti-Assam policies," he said.

The Assam government, through a notification on Tuesday, prohibited strikes in Assam by the officers, workmen, contract labour, and tanker driver as also khalasi involved in the Oil or Gas Sector under the Essential Services Maintenance (Assam Act, 1980) Act for six months.