Title - Northeast singes with pro-statehood stir Absu threatens 1000-hr strike after Eid

okrajhar/GUWAHATI: The entire north-east region remained virtually cut off from the rest of the country on Monday after protests by pro-statehood activists, fuelled by the Telangana announcement, intensified, crippling train services and blocking highways.Bodos, Koch-Rajbongshis, Karbis and Dimasas agitated in Assam while Garos in Meghalaya renewed their stir for Garoland and Tribals in Tripura, under the banner of Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) demanded a separate state.All trains to the northeast have been stalled on the tracks, leaving thousands of passengers stranded due to the 12-hour 'rail roko' sponsored by All Bodo Students' Union (Absu). According to NF Railway authorities ten short-distance trains were cancelled while long-distance trains connecting Assam with other parts of the country were running behind schedule.Trucks carrying essential supplies remained stuck near the Assam-Bengal border as clashes broke out at several places between Absu activists and those opposed to the strike.

The outfit has has threatened to start a 1000-hour strike after Eid if the Centre doesn't invite Bodo leaders for talks on their demand for Bodoland.

"We have launched our agitation for a legitimate demand. The Centre should hold talks with us on the issue of creation of Bodoland as soon as possible. We do not want people of the state to suffer," said Pramod Boro, president of Absu which has been demanding a separate state on the northern bank of the Brahmaputra by carving out areas between the Sankosh river in the west and Sadiya in the east.

The Absu's 48-hour strike crippled life in Kokrajhar, Baksa, Chirang, Udalguri and Sonitpur districts. A 36-hour stir called by All Koch Rajbongshi Students' Union for a separate Kamatapur state paralysed traffic in western assam, including Dhubri district.

Statehood demand by tribals in the twin hill districts of Dima Hasao and Karbi Anglong disrupted life. Movement of petroleum products from upper Assam was severely affected due to the unrest which also affected supply of essentials to Manipur and Nagaland.

In the hills of Manipur, Kukis became the latest ethnic group to join the statehopod bandwagon. "Since the Centre has been ignoring our demand, our agitation will be much harsher than what we did before," said K Khongsai, spokesperson of Kuki State Demand Committee ( KSDC), a conglomerate of several Kuki outfits.

Meanwhile, the All Arunachal Pradesh students' Union (Aapsu) asked the state government to conduct a census of Chakma and Hajong refugees and initiate measures to deport the illegal migrants.