Jamshedpur: The Adivasi Sengel Abhiyan (ASA), a tribal organisation, today called for a bandh in five eastern states in protest against the recent massacre of Adivasis by Bodo militants in Assam.
“We have decided to observe a dawn-to-dusk bandh in Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha and Jharkhand in protest against the killing of innocent adivasis in Assam by Bodo militants,” ASA central President Salkhan Murmu said.
Murmu said the decision was taken in an emergency meeting of ASA in Purulia district of West Bengal.
“ASA has called for the bandh as the concerned state as well as the union government has failed to take adequate measures to ensure security of the Adivasi community,” the former MP said.
The Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has denied accusations made by the ASA that the army was late in reacting to the attack by Bodo militants in Assam. The minister said the Army had to wait for a request from the local administration.
“We were alert about the attack even before the news was flashed in the media. The armed forces stationed there were ready, but we had to wait for request from local administration,” Parrikar said. “As soon as the local administration requested, we deployed the forces,” he said.
In a deadly attack Bodo militants killed 78 Adivasis. Thousands of tribals fled their homes in fear and are now residing in makeshift shelters as they have been reduced to refugees in their own land.
