Assam-Nagaland border unrest
Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Saturday requested the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his personal intervention in restoring peace at violence-ravaged Uriamghat along the Assam-Nagaland border in Golaghat distroct of Assam that witnessed major violence on August 12-13 resulting in the death of 11 persons and injuries to seven persons.
Gogoi, in a letter sent to the PM on Saturday, also requested for deployment of additional 10 companies of the CRPF in the area for rapid reinforcement of security along with setting up of security pickets in the affected villages. “The personnel deployed should be directed to take stern action proactively against the miscreants/extremists trying create trouble in those areas in an unbiased manner,” Gogoi said.
The Chief Minister said the area affected by the latest spectre of violence falls in the ‘B’ sector of the Disputed Area Belt (DAB) and located within the constitutional boundary of Assam.
Gogoi, while narrating the entire incident, pointed out that though there had been sporadic incidents in the area in the last couple of decades, the current violence perpetrated by Naga miscreants has had been of greater magnitude, claiming several lives and rendering thousands homeless. Over 10,000 panic stricken villagers have taken shelter in 13 relief camps opened by the Golaghat district administration in Assam.
“The incident has created fear and panic among the people living in the disputed area. Protest demonstrations are continuing in different parts of the State,” he said, adding that there would not have been shocking loss of life and property had the neutral force been ‘prompt, proactive and unbiased’ in handling the situation.
“The CRPF deployed in the disputed area belt has failed miserably in protecting the poor villagers of Assam. The situation, therefore, needs to be contained promptly so that violence does not spread to other areas,” he added.
Gogoi said that he had taken up the matter with the Union Home Minister and was closely monitoring the situation. “We are extending full cooperation to the neutral force and are in continuous touch with the Government of Nagaland for controlling the situation,” he said.
Gogoi also urged Modi to hold a meeting at the political and official levels urgently to discuss measures for restoring peace in the area. “We strongly desire the restoration of peace, amity and harmony in our border areas with Nagaland,” he added.