Raijor Dal leaders were detained by police in Guwahati on Saturday after staging a protest outside Janata Bhawan, Assam’s state secretariat, over the delayed disbursal of financial assistance to flood-affected families.
The detention came as Raijor Dal president and Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi continued an indefinite protest at the Assam Assembly premises. Gogoi has demanded faster relief payments, compensation for severely affected families and an inquiry into the causes of the extensive flooding.
Raijor Dal leaders detained outside Janata Bhawan
Several Raijor Dal leaders, including Gyanashree Bora, Rasel Hussain, Bhasco De Saikia and Dhaijya Konwar, were detained after protesting outside Janata Bhawan. According to reports, the leaders were taken away in a police vehicle after raising demands for financial assistance for flood victims.
The police action occurred amid renewed mobilisation by Raijor Dal over relief payments. The party has been pressing the government to speed up assistance to families affected by this year’s floods in Upper Assam.
Raijor Dal leaders press for pending relief
The latest protest follows an earlier Raijor Dal-led demonstration in Guwahati on September 23. Flood-affected residents from Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat and Golaghat joined that protest and alleged that many families had not received adequate relief or compensation.
The party says the government had committed to interim financial assistance of Rs 15,000 for affected families. Gogoi has claimed that 30 to 40 per cent of families in the four districts were still waiting for the payment.
He has also alleged that affected residents in Sivasagar and Charaideo had not received an additional Rs 10,000 special assistance announced for severely affected areas. The Assam government had not responded to those specific allegations in a report published on October 1.
Raijor Dal leaders back wider compensation demand
Raijor Dal has also sought larger compensation for households that suffered major losses during the floods. Gogoi is demanding Rs 10 lakh for affected families and has called for an assessment of losses to support recovery and rebuilding.
Earlier, the party submitted a 22-point charter of demands covering relief, rehabilitation and long-term rebuilding. Gogoi also called for a CBI inquiry into the causes of the July floods, including alleged illegal mining activities.
The renewed agitation comes after severe flooding affected several parts of Upper Assam. Official records cited by reports on Saturday put the flood-related death toll at more than 100 this year.
Akhil Gogoi continues indefinite protest
Gogoi began an indefinite agitation on October 2 after saying the government had failed to meet an October 1 deadline for disbursing promised assistance. From there, Gogoi criticised the detention of party leaders and questioned the pace of relief distribution.
He has also demanded an inquiry into the causes of the flooding. Meanwhile, the detention of the Raijor Dal leaders has added a fresh point of confrontation between the opposition party and the state authorities over the handling of flood relief.
Relief disbursal remains central issue
For Raijor Dal, the immediate issue remains the release of promised financial assistance to flood-hit households. The party argues that families that lost homes, crops, land and other assets need timely support to rebuild their lives.
However, claims about the scale of pending payments remain based largely on statements from Gogoi and the party.
As the agitation continues, the focus is now on whether relief payments will reach the remaining eligible families and whether the government will address the wider demands raised by Raijor Dal.