Assam Violence, a shocking wake-up call

Some problems for the Indian state are so frequent and overdrawn, that they constitute permanent concern.

Case in point is Assam violence.

The latest incident of ethnic violence happened in Assam on July 19. Four Bengali-speaking Muslim settlers were killed.

On July 20, four former Bodo Liberation Tigers men were killed. The Bodos retaliated by attacking Bengali-speaking settlers and the clashes began.

53 people are dead and almost four lakh are homeless in the clashes so far.

And then there is usual game of 'fixing-the-blame'. Mr. Gogoi, the CM of Assam, claimed he had no intelligence input from the Central Govt. He ultimately sought Army's help. The CM has, almost, been universally condemned for what is being called his inept handling of a sensitive situation.

On the other hand, Central Govt. asserted that they had shared intelligence reports.

Interestingly, both in Assam and Delhi, there are Congress-led governments.

Central Govt. on its part, ordered to deploy 65 paramilitary companies and Prime Minister exhorted to 'provide a healing touch' as the 'Assam violence is a blot on the country's face'.

What they effectively end-up doing, is announce, another relief package of 300 crore for the violence-hit state. PM also announced Rs. 2 lakh to families who've lost its members and Rs. 50,000 to those who are seriously injured from PM's fund separately.   

Surely, the issues run far deeper. It is not a secret that there are thousands of illegal migrants from Bangladesh. Every day, there is influx across the porous border.

Bodos take exception to the fact that these migrants will develop into a majority in forthcoming years. They claim in the 80s and 90s

the Muslim population (mostly Bangladeshi Migrants) was so less. Today the indigenous population is facing a real and cruel threat for their own existence.

Bodo leaders resent the lack of opportunity, resultant deprivation of development and years of neglect accompany constant fight about their legitimate rights, 'as citizen of India', not alone claim over land and local resources.   

A crude reminder: Bangladeshis form the largest group of migrants in India. As per 2001 census there are 3,084,826 people in all over India who came from Bangladesh, mostly in Assam, Northeast states and West Bengal. In 2012, some estimates suggest, there are 20 million Bangladeshi migrants!

Let us not forget that, in Assam, agitation against immigrants started as early as 1979, led by All Assam Students Union.

And the almost counter-productive and suicidal strategy of 'secular Congress party' of converting the illegal migrants into a safe vote-bank needs a critical rethink, 'if not a complete termination'.

There is an urgent need to review the entire internal security scenario in Assam. The entire law and order situation needs an evaluation and reorganization to instill confidence among our own people.  

Postscript: on Sunday, 5 Aug. 2012 - five people are killed in fresh violence; toll went up to 61 dead. Also three people were seriously injured when a bomb exploded in Goreshwar area of Baksa district in lower Assam.