Assam CM Tarun Gogoi shown black flag in Guwahati

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Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, who returned here after a 13-day foreign tour, was on Saturday greeted with black flags by members of the influential AASU who accused him of surrendering the state's land to Bangladesh.

Hundreds of All Assam Students Union (AASU) members and supporters gathered on the road passing through Gauhati University to block the thoroughfare as Gogoi travelled from the airport on arrival.

As the chief minister's convoy passed the University area, the demonstrators waved black flags and shouted slogans accusing Gogoi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of 'gifting' Assam's land to Bangladesh by signing the land pact during their recent visit there.

Slogans against Tarun Gogoi and the Prime Minister who represents Assam in the Rajya Sabha rent the air as Gogoi's convoy drove past the area to his official residence at Koinadhara area here.

Heavy security arrangements were made with police and paramilitary personnel lining up on both sides of the road to prevent demonstrators from blocking the road.

Riot vans were also kept ready as AASU members, students of the University and the law college there gathered to block the road.

AASU leaders said they would continue with their protest against "the giving away of Assam's land to Bangladesh and also against the construction of big dams in the state".

Police had suggested that Gogoi use helicopter from the airport to his residence, but he chose to travel by road. Gogoi was returning from Delhi after being away for his visits to Bangladesh, Spain and Belgium.