At least 10 people were killed as police tried to put down violence during Panchayat polls in Assam’s Goalpara district. The Rabha community opposed the elections. The last phase of the elections was by and large peaceful with a turnout of over 65 %. But in the Rabha Hassong Autonomous Council area, there was trouble. A large number of Rabhas attacked voting centres. The police were forced to fire on protestors who went for security and polling personnel. Additional forces were rushed to the affected areas. Four columns of the army were deployed. The Rabhas do not follow the Panchayat Raj system and have been demanding their own autonomous council on the lines of the Bodoland Territorial Council. The Rabha Hassong Joint Action Committee called a 36 hour curfew. They had called upon the Assam government to stop elections in the areas already demarcated for the Council. But the government went ahead with Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi saying that Panchayat elections in the areas would not affect the formation of the Rabha Council.
The incident in Goalpara shows that violence has become part of the way of life in the most important Northeastern state. Gogoi who has won three successive victories for the Congress in Assam appears unable to ensure peace. The ULFA and the NDFB are partly smouldering and peace talks have not started. The Bodos in the Bodoland Territorial Council had bloody clashes with the minority community in the region. Besides, communities like the Rabhas set off sporadic clashes. The people of Assam want end of violence and speedy economic development.