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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Singh files nomination papers

Singh files nomination papers

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published Published on May 16, 2013   modified Modified on May 16, 2013
-The Telegraph


Guwahati: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today filed his nomination papers for the May 30 Rajya Sabha election here but the visit was overshadowed by protests by journalists and the All Assam Students Union.

The scribes protested against denial of access to cover the proceedings of the Prime Minister's visit in the Assembly while the AASU said Singh had "failed" Assam despite representing the state since 1991.

Such was the intensity of the protest by both print and TV journalists denied entry to the Assembly campus that even efforts by chief minister Tarun Gogoi, cabinet minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, AICC general secretary in-charge of Assam Digvijaya Singh and senior officials to pacify them proved futile. Sources said a "major goof-up" by those in charge of ensuring a smooth trip for Singh was responsible for the situation.

The journalists, who had started gathering outside the entrance to the Assembly complex from 9am to cover the hourlong proceedings scheduled from 11.35am, got infuriated when they did not get a proper response from anybody of consequence as to who had barred their entry. They were told that news of the proceedings would be released through official agencies.

When the journalists were requested to enter the premises around 12.10pm, they entered but squatted in front of the main gate of the Assembly seeking an answer. Those in charge were, however, busy passing the buck. Such goof-ups are not new, the journalists alleged, recounting the inconveniences faced by most of them during Singh's flood-inspection visit last year despite an invitation for an interaction with Singh.

While trying to resolve the stand-off, Gogoi said there had been "some misunderstanding" while Digvijaya Singh blamed it on "communication gap". The offer of an unscheduled press meet with Singh also failed to cut ice. Eventually it was left to the Prime Minister to intervene. He walked to the gate to meet the journalists and though nothing was heard in the din, TV bytes show he thanked the people of Assam for sending him to the Rajya Sabha for over 22 years and promised to accelerate the development of the state as much as possible. The protest delayed Singh's departure by around 30 minutes, PCC secretary Arun Tewari said.

Before filing his nomination, Singh addressed a joint sitting of MLAs of the Congress and ally BPF. There, too, he expressed his gratitude to the people of Assam in his three-minute speech.

After Singh's departure, returning officer and principal secretary in the Assembly, Gauranga Das, told the media that the home department had dealt with the matter of entry of mediapersons and the district administration had "totally failed" to control the "unfortunate" situation.

Another protest was unfolding about 26km away at Uzan Bazar as Singh landed at the LGBI airport at Borjhar here around 11.45am. The All Assam Students Union (AASU) dressed 15 of its members in starched and sparkling white kurta-pyjama ensemble and masks of Manmohan Singh and helped them - as there were no holes cut out in the masks to see - on to the road to Raj Bhavan.

They carried placards in the form of Singh's "admission" of his failure to resolve 15 issues confronting the state. "My 22 years as MP and PM but NRC not updated," "My 22-years as MP and PM but indigenous people not given land rights," "My 10 years as PM but I failed Assam Accord..." read some of the placards. Singh's "clones" walked and waved like him while their leaders said it was a symbolic protest to demonstrate Singh's "failed promises" on Assam and the "frustration" among the people. "He (Singh) has represented Assam for the past 22 years but if we look back at what we got and what we didn't, it is a picture of hopelessness. Singh took no fruitful steps to solve the problems," AASU adviser Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharya said.

Minutes before AASU's demonstration, the Assam unit of Aam Aadmi Party burnt Singh's effigy. The state BJP also staged a sit-in while its student wing, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Paris-had, burnt effigies of Singh.


The Telegraph, 16 May, 2013, http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130516/jsp/frontpage/story_16903877.jsp#.UZSCUErcing


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