Ten days have elapsed since the violence started in the
North East State of Assam. So far around 50 persons have been killed in the
violent clashes raging on there. Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa and Bongaigon are
the regions affected most.
As of now, no one is sure about whether the ongoing clashes
are ethnic violence, communal violence or the crimes perpetrated by hooligans
which threatened the law and order situation prevailing there. Even media
personalities are not certain about the nature of violence spreading there.
However it is reported that the murder of two muslim youths
belonging to ABMSU ( All Bodoland
Minority Students' Union )
which acted as the spark leading to a towering inferno affecting the whole of
Assam. As a reprisal to the killings four Bodo youths belonging to NDFB (National
Democratic Front of Bodoland) all hell broke loose and a blood-bath resulted
across the sensitive areas of Assam. It was the genesis for the conflagration
which engulfed the State within no time. Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has
reportedly blamed the Centre for delaying deployment of Army personnel which is
partially true. But the blame game doesn’t absolve him from the violence
spreading on a large scale. If the State was more vigilant in tackling the
violent clashes the number of calamities and massive destruction of properties
could have been avoided. He too kept a low profile in the beginning and only
when the issue went out of control the Assam police entered the scene to quell
violence. The State govt requisitioned the intervention of Army personnel to douse
the flames of calamity affected State.
Almost 2 lakh people have already fled their homes and sought
refuge in the camps set up outside the calamity affected areas. Centre has
reportedly sent food items, teams of medical experts and nurses with adequate supplies
of medicines to the refugee camps to prevent the outbreak of diseases.
One of the factors behind the violence is reportedly the
long standing rivalry between the Bodos and Bangladeshi Muslim immigrants who
have made Assam their permanent abode. And a section of the media accuses the
Gogoi govt for providing citizenship to these immigrants eyeing the election
times, in other words the State govt was playing a vote-bank politics.
Bodos couldn’t tolerate the flow of immigrants from Bangladesh
as their deserving benefits were cornered by the immigrants, the latter in the
eyes of Bodos are outsiders who came to Assam to rob the State off the
resources of indigenous citizens.Though a border is reportedly existing between
the two countries it is said to be a porous one through which the immigrants
could easily sneak into the Indian territory from across the border. Border Security
as of now has been reportedly tightened to prevent the flow of immigrants from the
other side of the border.
Prime Minister ManMohan Singh paid a visit to the riot hit
areas today to overlook and assess the situation in person. UPA Chairperson Sonia
Gandhi too accompanied him. Prime Minister Dr.Singh has a soft corner for the
State of Assam since he is elected as a Rajya Sabha MP from Assam from the very
outset of his term as PM. His soft and sensitive heart must be aching from the
very moment the reports of the calamity spread across Assam especially the
Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa and Bongaigon areas reached his ears. He has
sanctioned Rs. 300 crores as relief package to the citizens of Assam from Prime
Minister’s relief fund. While expressing his deep agony and sorrow over the situation
prevailing in the calamity affected States he has chosen the occasion to warn
the perpetrators of the ongoing violence with severe punishment if they are
bent upon upsetting the law and order situation. He appealed to the citizens to
have patience and further pleaded with them to remain calm. Dr.Singh warned the
trouble-makers the severe punishment awaiting the culprits in the event of them
indulging in violent activities.
Let’s hope PM’s visit would act as a soothing balm to the
citizens of Assam and an alert State govt would take earnest efforts to bring
the situation into normality with army personnel keeping vigilance 24X7.
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