Port Blair, Sept 17: TheBengali speaking people of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, those who and their post-generations have been residing in the UT for years / decades / generations together; in other words, those who came in these Islands under different refugee rehabilitation scheme(s) of the Govt. of India; and/or for rendering Govt. service; and/or for business purpose; and/or in search of luck just to find out their livelihood(s) here in lawful manner, are now frequently being harassed by the people supporting so-called ‘Inner Line Permit’ (somehow akin to NRC in Assam).  In protest of such unlawful action by ‘Inner Line Permit’-supporters and/or their agents, thousands of Bengali-speaking people of this archipelago – irrespective of religion, caste, community etc. representing all walks of the society and almost all parts of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands assembled in the Netajinagar Kali Mandir premises of South Andaman.

The peaceful gathering-in-protest presided over by Shri Dulal Chatterjee, Social Worker was addressed by Shri Anadiranjan Biswas (Prem Nagar), Dr. R. K. Halder (Rangat), Shri Prakash Adhikari (Manglutan), Shri Ajoy Kumar Mondal (Kadamtala), Smt. Minati Biswas (Guptapara), Shri Mahadev Majhi (Herbertabad), Shri Apurba Kr. Roy (Havelock), Shri Makhan Mondal (Bhatu Basti), Shri Apurba Biswas (Bhatu Basti), Shri Nripendra Nath Nag (Manglutan), Shri Gopal Das (Ferrargunj), among others.

The main point on which all the speakers dwelt upon was – ‘if the Inner Line Permit-supporters really want to stop unlawful/illegal migration of foreigners, such as Bangladeshis, Pakistanis, Sri Lankans etc. in A&N Islands, we have nothing to object thereto; rather we may also extend our active hands to do so’.  ‘But, if they harass genuine Bengali-speaking residents of these Islands unlawfully and unnecessarily, that should not be tolerated’, all the speakers said.

Later, the assemblage was culminated to formation of ‘Bangla Joint Action Committee’, with the following office-bearers and others:

1.    Shri Prakash Adhikari  – Chairman;

2.    Shri Dulal Chatterjee – Vice Chairperson-I

3.    Shri Apurba Biswas – Vice Chairperson-II

4.    Shri Mahadeb Majhi  – General Secretary

5.    Shri Makhan Mondal – Organising Secretary

6.    Shri Apurba Kumar Roy – Joint Secretary-I

7.    Shri Nripendra Nath Nag  – Joint Secretary-II

8.    Shri K. C. Roy – Joint Secretary-III

9.    Shri Debabrata Sarkar – Joint Secretary-IV

10.    Shri Mahen Biswas - Treasurer

In addition to the above, Shri Anadiranjan Biswas was selected as the Media Incharge; Smt. Minati Biswas was selected as the Head/Incharge of Women’ Wing; Shri Angshuman Roy as the Head/Incharge of Youth Wing and the Legal Cell of the Committee was constituted with the Lawyers namely S/Shri Ajoy Kr. Mondal, Tapan Das, Alokesh Sarkar and Tapan  Kumar Das, among others. 

The main aim of this committee shall be to protect overall interests of all the Indian Bengali-origin people living in these Islands.