Violence continues in Kokrajhar leaving six seriously injured. The Army has been called in. Arson occurred in Kamrup. The repercussions have spread to distant Bangalore. Violence had also erupted in Mumbai. Rumour took wings with the aid of modern technology like cell phones and the like. Worried families in the North East fed such rumour. Such spreading of rumour reflects on the country’s social structure and its tensions. Students and workers from the North East were in panic in Bangalore as a result of the violence in Kokrajhar. That is why panic spread with such speed. They sought to escape betraying their lack of confidence in the Karnataka government. However, the state government and the police have gone out of their way to assure the public that nobody from the North East need to worry. The home minister spoke over the public address system at the railway station. The Prime Minister has spoken to the Karnataka Chief Minister and the Home Ministry at the Centre hurried to allay fears. Help lines have been set up in Hyderabad where the rumours have also spread. But the exodus from Bangalore to Assam has grown in number.
However, it is not just the government which has the responsibility to calm such tensions. Political parties should play their role as well. Sushma Swaraj, the BJP chief has urged people from the North East to stay in Karnataka. Every BJP and ABVP worker will protect citizens, she said. On the other hand, Narendra Modi, Gujarat Chief Minister, has tried to introduce the communal factors in the scenario. It was the height of irresponsibility to take such a stand. Kokrajhar can have peace only if political leaders all over India are committed to it.