Kaushik Rai urges locals in Lailapur to take revenge by continuing the economic blockade; “No passage to trucks carrying essentials,” MLA

Hundreds of Mizoram-bound trucks are parked in Dholai area. The locals of Lailapur in Cachar district have staged an economic blockade prohibiting access to Mizoram. Only Ambulances are allowed to ply through the National Highway that connects Mizoram to the rest of the country. The train track to Bhairabi of Mizoram through Hailakandi district has also been uprooted isolating the state of Mizoram.

As many as six Assam Police Personnel was killed as the militants and Mizoram Police joined hands to fire at the delegation of Assam engaged in dialogues with the Mizoram counterpart. The incident took place at Lailapur in Cachar district’s Dholai Legislative Assembly constituency on July 26. The Superintendent of Police, Kolashib district in Mizoram was there on the spot sitting with IG Assam, Anurag Agarwal when the fire was opened by the Mizos.

On July 27, the locals decided to block the road and disrupt all economic activities with the Mizoram. Today, Guardian Minister of Cachar and Urban Development Minister in Himanta Biswa Sarma’s cabinet visited the border to take stock of situation. He was accompanied by the Minister of Forest, Parimal Suklabaidya, MLA Lakhipur Kaushik Rai and others.

Rai addressed the locals gathered there and appealed to them to continue with the economic blockade. “No matter what Police says, no matter what the Government says, we will take revenge, we will not withdraw the economic blockade. My appeal to all of you is that we shall, under any circumstances continue this blockade. If needed, we the elected representatives shall also join you. At personal level, I wholeheartedly support this blockade,” said Rai.

He added, “Their MP is threatening that they shall kill us all. It is our time to respond but not in his language. We shall remind the Mizos that if we block their supply of essential commodities, gas, oil, they will starve to death. They only way for us to pay tribute to the six martyrs of Assam Police is by ensuring that the economic blockade is a success. We are with you in this fight.”

Though he mentioned that he is supporting the economic blockade in “personal capacities”, it is worth mentioning here that this stance contradicts what the chief minister of Assam Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma said during the press conference in Cachar. “Why should we host an economic blockade or things like that. We are a law abiding state and will act according to the law. In fact, I have issued an order urging the Police to provide security to the Mizos living in Assam,” is what the CM had said.

Meanwhile, secretary to the Government of Mizoram, Home Department wrote to the Union Home Secretary, Government of India, complaining about the economic blockade.

“I am directed to inform you that National Highway-306 and other roads connecting Mizoram with other parts of the country from Assam have been blocked by Assam from 26.07.2021 and the blockade has persisted till date. It may be stated that the National Highway-306 is the main highway for the flow of essential commodities and supplies into the State of Mizoram. The blockade is affecting the livelihood of the people of Mizoram adversely. Movement of vehicles along other routes connecting Mizoram and Assam have also been blocked inside Assam state,” wrote Lalbiaksangi.

He added, “The National Highways and Railway lines are owned and managed by the Government of India and no state agency/entity or the general public has any right to block them and restrict the movement of people and goods through the highways and railroads. In this regard, it is requested that the Government of India may kindly intervene and instruct the Government of Assam to take necessary action for the immediate removal of the blockade so as to ensure resumption of the movement of goods and passengers along the National Highway and Railway line.”

The protests and demonstrations in Assam got intensified after the Rajya Sabha MP K. Vanlalvena’s interview went viral on Social Media. He went on to say, “They are lucky that we have not killed them all. Again the encroach, we shall kill them all.”

Last year too, after the Mizo miscreants burnt 20 houses and dwellings in Lailapur, bombed two schools in Khulicherra, the irked locals blocked the roads and isolated Mizoram from the rest of the country. This time, how long the blockade continues remains to be seen.