Bhangarpar (Assam): Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Wednesday said his government will break the alliance with Bodoland People’s Front(BPF), if allegations of the Hagrama Mohilary-led party’s involvement in killing Muslims are found to be true.
“I will severe the ties with BPF if they are actually involved in killing the Muslims. It will not take even 5 minutes for me,” Gogoi told reporters here after meeting the victims of Narayanguri and Hagrabari villages here. NIA is probing the incidents and the state government has separately enquiring the massacre, he added.
On demand for dissolving the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD), Gogoi said “I cannot comment on that as it was created by the Centre and is a Constitutional issue.” The Chief Minister condemned the killings by Bodo militants terming as “inhuman, barbaric and uncivilised”. “We will take all possible steps to arrest the culprits. People have given us some names and a few are already arrested,” he added. Gogoi also said the state government will take care of all the children, whose parents were killed by the Bodos.
Earlier, victims and affected families staying at the relief camp at Bhangarpar demanded Gogoi to dissolve the BTAD immediately. “We don’t need BTAD. Please dissolve it immediately. We are supporters of Congress and we want only Congress government,” the victims said.
Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) is the governing body of BTAD. Bodoland People’s Front (BPF), which was formed after militant group BLT surrendered and joined mainstream politics after an agreement with the government, is in power of BTC.
The Chief Minister assured the affected people that the government would extend all possible help and assistance to them and augment security so that they can return to their homes soon.
Gogoi assured the people that the state government would step up security in the violence-hit areas by setting up permanent police pickets.
“Our government will ensure that the people in violence affected areas do not feel insecure and get due and proper justice,” he said. The government would take all possible steps to confiscate illegal arms and a vigorous drive is on to seize illegal weapons, he said.
Gogoi instructed the administration to take firm steps to apprehend the culprits behind the incidents and to step up security to prevent recurrence of such incidents. The government has already entrusted the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to probe the incidents, besides taking the decision to institute a judicial inquiry by a retired judge, the Chief minister told the people.
Stating Rs 5 lakh each would be provided as ex-gratia grant to the next of kin of the deceased, he said the government would take up the responsibility of looking after orphaned children, including their education, and in this regard would discuss the matter with the authorities of SOS Children’s Village. Houses would be constructed under government schemes for people rendered homeless in the violence, Gogoi added. The Chief Minister also visited Balapara and met the affected people there and inquired about their condition. He received memorandums from several organisations. (PTI)