Sivasagar (Guwahati): The All Assam Students' Union (AASU) has threatened to launch a massive protest in Assam once the coronavirus-induced lockdown is lifted over the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led central government’s decision to privatise eight active oil fields in the state.
"The BJP-led government at the Centre and the State will have to face the consequences for this move. The government knew that the people would not be able to protest during the lockdown and hence they took advantage of the situation. However, we are not going to accept this and protests will take place once the lockdown is lifted," said general secretary of the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) Lurinjyoti Gogoi.
Apart from AASU, several other organisations including civil society groups in the state have made clear their intention of protesting against the government’s move.
The call for protest came after the Central government recently handed over eight small and marginal active oil-producing fields to two private companies - Durganta Oil and Gas and Stave Doze Limited through global bidding.
The Centre had, for quite some time now, been trying to privatise the eight oil fields located in different parts of Assam, but couldn’t do so following mass protests by the people.
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Several student bodies, particularly in Upper Assam, had in the past even called for a 100-hour bandh to protest against the privatisation of oil fields.
All these eight oil fields are located at Dimual, Changmai Gaon, Safrai, Sonari, Panidihing, Disangmukh, Disangpani and Naharbari areas of the state.
A survey conducted by the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) a few years ago stressed that the Panidihing and Disangmukh oil fields were high-yielding ones and had good prospects.
