Assam CM lobs dare at Delhi : Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi today said he could not care less if the Centre imposes President’s rule in the state in the wake of the carnage carried out by the NDFB (S). The Centre should share the responsibility of containing violence in the state, he added. “If they (the Centre) want to impose, let them impose,” Gogoi said while responding to a question on the demand for President’s rule raised by the Opposition parties and other organisations in the wake of the carnage carried out by the NDFB (S) on Tuesday. Gogoi told reporters on the sidelines of a function of the Assam Youth Congress at Rajiv Bhawan here that the situation in the violence-hit areas was under control and there had been no report of any fresh incident. He, however, refused to spell out anything on the army operation against the NDFB (S) launched yesterday. “It is true victims of violence are facing hardship. The state government is trying to provide them all logistical support and facilities,” Gogoi said. Earlier, addressing the first extended executive meeting of the new office-bearers of the Youth Congress here this afternoon, Gogoi said the Centre must take equal responsibility in containing violence in the state. On Thursday, former two-time chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta had claimed that the law and order situation in Assam was worse than what it was in 1990 — the year President’s rule was imposed in the state. Others seeking central rule include the All Assam Tribal Sangha, All Bodo Students’ Union and the state BJP unit. The situation in trouble-torn Kokrajhar, neighbouring Chirang and Sonitpur districts, though tense, is under control with no fresh incident reported in the last 24 hours. Curfew was relaxed for 14 hours from 5am in Kokrajhar while in Chirang it was relaxed for five hours from 11am to 4pm in the Runikhata and Sidli areas. A goodwill mission comprising students and social organisations of both the Adivasis and the Bodos is making efforts to instil confidence among the affected people by visiting camps. The situation in Sonitpur district, about 200km from here, remained normal today. Sonitpur deputy commissioner Lalit Gogoi told The Telegraph that curfew continued in nine places in the district — Dhekiajuli, Thelamara, Misamari, Rangapara, Chariduar, Sootea, Biswanath Chariali, Jingya and Behali. Talking to reporters at Kokrajhar circuit house this evening, the inspector-general of police, BTAD, L.R. Bishnoi, said operations against the NDFB(S) had been intensified and over 70 people arrested. Lower Assam commissioner Santanu Thakur, who visited several affected places in Gossaigaon subdivision, said the number of relief camps and inmates may go up as many were yet to be counted. Commissioner and secretary (home and political) Prateek Hajela said here this evening that the overall situation was improving and curfew had been relaxed in many areas. He said over one lakh victims of violence were staying in 81 relief camps. Hajela said while the government was making every effort to distribute relief materials, including blankets, among the camp inmates, the deputy commissioners have been asked to open collection centres in their respective districts to receive relief materials from individuals and NGOs. P.K. Tiwary, the CEO of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority, said the administration had started distributing relief, including baby food and blankets. Rs 1,000 will be given initially to each family in the camps to buy utensils and other necessary materials. According to the official, around 600 inmates have returned home from their camps in Sonitpur district.
Posted on: Sun, 28 Dec 2014 17:57:10 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015