The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), taking a break from protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), is extending a helping hand, including distributing relief materials, to the people stranded in the state because of the Covid-19 lockdown.

“'This is a crucial time and we can’t sit idle, waiting for the lockdown to end when we can again stage protests against the CAA. Our volunteers are coming forward to serve the poor and the marginalised,” AASU’s Goalpara district president Bedanta Kashyap said.

The AASU’s units are working in several districts such as Goalpara, Baksa and Kamrup in lower Assam.

In Goalpara, the AASU provided relief materials on Monday and Tuesday to the poor and needy people in the 19 wards of the Goalpara municipal area.

Its Krishnai unit in the district has been helping thousands of poor and backward people, including farmers and fishermen.

The AASU’s Baksa district unit, in collaboration with its Tamulpur subdivision unit, felicitated police officials on duty in Tamulpur town on Tuesday with gamosas for their dedicated service, all the while maintaining social distance.

They also interacted with on duty health workers and journalists, praised their services and felicitated them with gamosas.

“We felicitated them for their commendable service towards society in the time of Covid-19,” said Gobinda Sarania, president of the AASU’s Baksa district.

Responding to the gesture, Tamulpur police station officer-in-charge Ashim Bora thanked the AASU. “It encourages one to provide better service when your work is recognised,” he said.

The AASU’s Rangiya unit in Kamrup is bringing essential commodities and awareness about coronavirus to the doorsteps of the needy and the poor.

AASU president Dipanka Nath told The Telegraph on Tuesday that they would extend relief and sanitisation drive across the state for another 10 days from Wednesday.

“Our members and volunteers have been quietly carrying out relief and sanitisation drive since the lockdown began. We will launch our second phase from Wednesday,” he said.

The Congress-affiliated National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), has been distributing relief materials in the remote areas of West Goalpara constituency under the supervision of its president Shorif Amin Ahmed and local legislator Abdur Rasid Mondal.

The Goriya Moriya Deshi Jatiya Parishad has also been providing relief to some families in Goalpara district.