The agitating taxi drivers unions and associations on Saturday evening temporarily withdrew blockade of national highway-27 at Jorabat after three days of intense protests and sit-in demonstrations along the inter-state border in the aftermath of the attack on Assam-registered vehicles during the KSU ‘black flag’ rally on August 19. The decision to temporarily lift the blockade was taken after Assam border protection and development minister Atul Bora met them at Jorabat and assured that their demands, including that of compensation of the vehicles damaged by miscreants in Meghalaya, would be addressed by the government. A memorandum was submitted to the minister by the Assam State Drivers Union and members of transport associations, placing their demands before the government.
The minister had met the protesters after attending a three-hour meeting with Meghalaya deputy chief minister Sniawbhalang Dhar and officials of the two states at the State Guest House in Koinadhora here earlier in the day. He had also appealed to the protesters to cooperate and withdraw the agitation so that normal vehicular movement between the two states could be restored. The Meghalaya government, for its part, assured to constitute a special investigation team to probe the violence during the KSU rally in Shillong on August 19 and take strict action against the miscreants who attacked Assam-registered vehicles on that day.
Dhar had also said that the demand for compensation of the damaged vehicles would be looked into and addressed as per law and the safety and security of tourists from Assam, including safe passage to the stranded vehicles, would be ensured.
