From Our Correspondent
Guwahati:Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi on Wednesday stated that the latest spell of violence in the Bodoland Territorial Autonomous District Council (BTC) area in the State was a handiwork of some anti-national elements.
“Violence was perpetrated by some anti-national forces to sully our image. This violence even spread to places outside the State. However, due to concerted efforts the situation was prevented from drifting to a point of no return
“The people of BTAD belonging to different communities have been living in peaceful co-existence. Disturbances cropped up due to misunderstandings created by some anti-national forces. The people have been living and working together and they are yearning for peace, progress and prosperity. The wheels of development have to roll on once again. And for that to happen we must bring an end to violence once and for all by ushering in durable peace,” he said.
He was addressing a public meeting on peace and communal harmony organised by Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) at Diabari in Kokrajhar district on Wednesday.
The peace meeting held for the first time after violence broke out in BTAD and adjoining areas five months ago, saw the congregation of thousands of people cutting across the barriers of caste, creed or religion.
Speaking as chief guest, Gogoi, “Normalcy has returned to BTAD areas earlier than was expected. No one could have imagined that these areas which were affected by violence five months back have returned to normal, thanks to the peace efforts of the BTC chief Hagrama Mohilary and his team, the State Government and the people of BTAD areas.”
“Most of the affected people have returned to their homes from the relief camps. The rest will follow suit soon. For that the State Government and the BTC administration are working in close tandem,” he said.
Gogoi announced that the Government would launch a scheme for the children who became orphans and for the widows affected by the spectre of violence. “We will have to take special care for the children who have become orphans and the widows who lost their husbands in the orgy of violence,” he said.
Addressing the gathering, Hagrama Mohilary said the BTC administration had stepped up its efforts to usher in lasting peace by forming peace committees and holding peace rallies. “We will continue with such peace initiatives in other affected areas,” he added.
Hagrama asserted that the process is on to rehabilitate the 5,000-6,000 people presently living in the relief camps within this month.
“There has been some delay. But we hope to complete the rehabilitation process within this month,” he said, adding, “There has been a consensus between the BTC administration and the Government that the people rendered homeless have to be rehabilitated in the places where they belonged to whether they possess land patta or not. We all know that they have been living in our midst for years together. We cannot label them as outsiders simply because they have become homeless.”
The BTC Chief said the BTC administration would continue to exert pressure upon the Central Government to extend financial assistance for Rs 5 lakh each to the affected families who lost everything in the violence. “Besides Rs 5 lakh to the fully affected families, we have also demanded IAY houses for them,” he added.
President, Religious Minority Council, BTC, Boktar Ali Ahmed urged upon the Government to expedite the rehabilitation process and to take firm steps so that violence does not recur in future.
“There should be no laxity in bringing back complete peace in the BTAD and adjoining areas,” he added.