‘Common People Saw No Vikas,’ Says Mithun Nath During Barak Road Protest

Alleging that the condition of roads across Barak Valley has continued to deteriorate despite years of promises, Hindutva leader Mithun Nath, along with students from across the town, staged a symbolic protest in Silchar on Friday (July 10), demanding immediate repair of damaged roads.

The protest was organised along the stretch from Capital Point to Medical Road, where participants highlighted the poor condition of one of the town’s busiest roads. Protesters claimed that broken roads and large potholes have been causing daily hardship for commuters, patients travelling to hospitals, students and motorists.

In a symbolic act of protest, demonstrators later gathered near the BJP district office at Itkhola, where they placed banners carrying the slogan “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” inside large potholes that had filled with water. They said the protest was intended to question the government’s claims of development by drawing attention to the current state of public infrastructure. The unusual demonstration quickly attracted the attention of passers-by and sparked discussion in the area.

Speaking to the media, Mithun Nath said the people of Barak Valley could no longer accept the poor condition of roads across the region. He alleged that despite the BJP being in power at both the Centre and in Assam for nearly a decade, the expected improvement in road infrastructure had not taken place.

He further questioned who had actually benefited from the government’s slogan of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas”, claiming that ordinary people had seen little improvement in their lives. At the same time, he alleged that many leaders of the ruling party had witnessed significant personal financial growth over the past ten years. Referring to this, he claimed that individuals who once travelled on scooters were now seen driving luxury vehicles such as the Toyota Fortuner.

Nath also questioned why Barak Valley continues to suffer from poor roads despite Cachar having six MLAs, two Members of Parliament and a minister from the ruling party. According to him, the current condition of roads does not reflect the development that has been promised to the people.

Demanding immediate repair of roads across Silchar and the entire Barak Valley, Nath warned that if the government fails to take prompt action, the protest movement would be expanded in the coming days.