SIX Left parties -- the CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML), SUCI(C), RSP and the AIFB -- jointly organised massive protest actions in the form of 'satyagraha' throughout Assam on July 6. The 'satyagraha' was in protest against the anti-people policies of the BJP-led central government and the misrule of the Congress dispensation in Assam. Hundreds of Left activists and supporters came out to the street and organised processions, demonstrations, etc. by defying law and finally courted arrest in front of the offices of deputy commissioners and sub-divisional officers in their respective areas. Police went overboard and resorted to indiscriminate lathi-charge on Left activists in Silchar town when they attempted to enter the office of the Deputy Commissioner. Around 20 activists were injured due to the police action in Silchar. The administration made heavy 'police bandobast' throughout the state to prevent the protesters from holding the 'satyagraha'. There were tense situations and scuffles between the police and slogan-shouting demonstrators broke out in many places, including in the capital city of Guwahati. The major demands raised by the six Left parties include curbing price rise and strengthening PDS, immediate implementation of the FSA and full coverage of food security, withdrawal of the ordinance on Land Acquisition, land to the landless, MSP to the farmers for their agricultural produce, expansion of MGNREGA, retention of Assam’s ‘special category status’, recognition of Assam's flood and erosion as a national problem, infrastructure development and employment generation, etc. The parties also demanded strong action against communal and divisive forces and condemned the vicious communal campaign of the BJP-RSS combine. In the capital city of Guwahati, braving scorching sun, around 500 volunteers of the Left parties assembled near Dighali Pukhuri and tried to take out a procession towards the DC’s office. However, the administration imposed a ban on procession and enforced Section 144 only to restrict the assembly and prevent the protesters from advancing. Defying law, the angry demonstrators tried to break through the police cordon and a scuffle broke out. When the agitators soon started to swell in number and stormed the police barricade, the administration arrested the volunteers and confined them in a temporary jail. Among those arrested were senior CPI(M) leader Hemen Das, Party's Central Committee members Uddhab Barman and Deben Bhattacharyya and CPI State Secretary Drupad Borgohain. A protest meeting was also held inside the make-shift jail where Deben Bhattacharyya (CPI-M), Drupad Borgohain (CPI), Pankaj Das (CPI-ML), Suraj Jamal Mandal (SUCI-C) and Ratneswar Gogoi (AIFB) addressed the demonstrators. All the speakers came down heavily on the Modi-led government at the Centre and also criticised the anti-people policies of the Tarun Gogoi-led government in Assam. The district administration later unconditionally released the arrested persons. In Barpeta district, massive demonstration was organised in front of the DC's office at Barpeta town. Around 1,000 volunteers of the CPI(M), CPI and CPI(ML) were arrested when they tried to enter into the office by defying law and prohibitory orders. At Nalbari town, 270 volunteers were arrested near ASTC office when the protesters were proceeding towards DC's office in a procession and put up a roadblock. In Kokrajhar district, 406 volunteers were arrested. In Bongaigaon, 400 participated in protest demonstration in front of the DC's office. In fact, the protesters virtually barricaded off the exit and entrance to the office for about two hours. However, no arrest was made at Bongaigaon. In Dhubri district, around 100 protesters were arrested in front of the DC's office while another 247 were arrested at Bilasipara town in front of the SDO's office. In Goalpara district, around 200 volunteers courted arrest after demonstration in front of the DC's office. In Kamrup (Rural) district, 150 volunteers courted arrest in front of the DC's office at Amingaon while 309 were arrested in front of SDO's office at Rangia. Nagaon, Darrang and Sonitpur districts of Central Assam also witnessed massive protest actions against the anti-people policies of the central and state governments. At Nagaon town, around 500 people organised a procession and road-block and courted arrest. At Tezpur town, 330 volunteers courted arrest while 150 volunteers organised massive protest at Biswanath Chariali. At Mangaldoi town in Darrang district, around 200 volunteers courted arrest in front of the DC's office. In Morigaon District, 300 volunteers courted arrest. In Upper Assam districts too, civil disobedience was organised. At Dibrugarh town, around 300 volunteers were arrested at Chawkidingi while marching towards DC's office. Similarly, at Jorhat town, 300 protesters were arrested from DC's office after procession and roadblock by the volunteers. They were taken to a makeshift jail at Chinamara. At Tinsukia town also, 300 protesters assembled at Tinikunia and held a protest meeting after procession. At Golaghat town, 200 protesters courted arrest in front of DC's office while in Sibsagar town more than 250 were arrested from the DC's office. In the Barak Valley districts, around 400 volunteers were arrested from DC's office at Silchar after police lathicharge. At Hailakandi too, 150 demonstrators courted arrest. At Karimganj district, the protesters organised picketing in front of State Bank of India branch, Post Office and Treasury office and stopped functioning of these offices to register angry protest. Around 200 volunteers were arrested from different parts of Karimganj town.