From Our Correspondent
Guwahati: In the wake of recent violence in Bodoland Territorial Autonomous District Council (BTC) and adjoining areas in Assam and subsequent exodus of panic-gripped Assam-origin people from some other states areas of the country, chief minister Tarun Gogoi on Thursday convened a meeting with the editors of newspapers to elicit their views to bring about normalcy in the affected areas and to rehabilitate the camp inmates.
Gogoi appealed to the media to extend all help and cooperation to the Government in its endeavour to restore peace in the affected areas and to start the process of rehabilitating the displaced people. The Chief Minister categorically pointed out that only genuine Indian citizens would be rehabilitated.
Gogoi said that media can play a very positive role in such a situation. He laid emphasis on disseminating news based on reliable sources. “The media can play a very positive role in the prevailing situation and I appeal to all mediapersons to disseminate news based on reliable sources,” Gogoi said at a meeting with editors of newspapers convened by him here.
He apprised the editors about the slew of measures initiated by the government to provide relief to the camp inmatesthe chief minister said only genuine Indian citizens would be rehabilitated.
He said the government is ensuring decongesting the crowded relief camps and maintaining proper sanitation and hygiene in the camps.
He said the government is ensuring decongesting the crowded relief camps and maintaining proper sanitation and hygiene in the camps.
Gogoi said all-out efforts have been directed towards allaying the apprehensions from the minds of the people by involving local leaders from both communities and members of different organisations active in those areas.
“We have to remove the fear psychosis so that they return to their homes. Instilling a sense of security is a must,” he added.
The chief minister said the government was taking steps to ensure decongestion of relief camps and proper sanitation and hygiene.
Referring to the exodus of people of NE region from the southern states, Gogoi underscored the need to create a congenial atmosphere so that the students and workers go back at the earliest.
“Our Government is in close touch with the institutions in which they were previously employed and those institutions agreed to take them back,” he added.
The editors observed that the incidents of recent violence were not communal in nature. They expressed concern about prevalence of illegal arms in the State and urged urgent steps for recovery of the same.
All the editors observed with great concern at the exodus of the people of North Eastern States who are studying and working in the southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala.
They noted the steps taken by the State Government and the concerned governments of the southern states and urged upon the students and workers not to pay heed to rumours being circulated, which are clearly against national interest.
They urged all concerned to return to their places of study and work in view of the assurance given by the host state governments and appealed to the government to facilitate their safe return.
The editors while noting the steps taken by the State Government and Government of India in containing the violence also urged upon them to take necessary steps to expedite the process of rehabilitation of the displaced families and reopening of schools.
The editors further requested the State Government to undertake NRC upgradation as per Assam Accord expeditiously and ensure protection of tribal belts and blocks. (With inputs from PTI)