PM Faces Massive Protests During His Assam Visit

Guwahati, May 15 : Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on Wednesday had faced a series of protests from media persons to students union and other political parties in Guwahati during his day-long visit to Assam for file his nomination papers for Rajya Sabha poll.

Media persons staged sit-in demonstration in front of Assam Legislative Assembly protest against the state government decision not to allow the media persons inside the assembly during the PM's nomination filing for Rajya Sabha from the state.

A top official of state government said, the decision was made after instruction of Prime Minister Office.

'It is an attack to democracy,' Sushanta Talukdar, a senior journalist said.

After the incident, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, AICC general secretary Digvijoy Singh and other ministers of the state government came out from the assembly and made their apology to the media persons.

Prime Minister Dr Singh also came out from the assembly and addressed his speech to media at the demonstration site.

Apart from media, All Assam Students Union (AASU), BJP, CPI (ML) had showed black flag and sit-in demonstration protest against the PM's visit to Assam.

'Dr Manmohan Singh have been representing Assam to Rajya Sabha in past 21 years, but he would not do anything for the development of the state. He makes an 'step-motherly' treatment to the state,' AASU advisor Dr Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharyee said.

Dr Singh had filed his nomination papers in the Assam Legislative Assembly on Wednesday for a fifth straight Rajya Sabha term from the state.

Dr Singh's fourth term in Rajya Sabha to be end on June 14, who was representing to Assam in the upper house since 1991.

Ruling Congress and allies has occupied 94 seats in the 126 members of Assam legislative assembly.

(Report By Heanta Kumar Nath)