GUWAHATI, March 7 - The State Government today informed the Assembly that nine persons were arrested by the police in connection with the Monday incident of vandalism at the Silapathar office of the All Assam Students� Union (AASU) by the members of a group claiming to represent a particular community.
Meanwhile, the Speaker of the House today announced that an all-party goodwill team of the Assam Legislative Assembly will soon visit Silapathar to take stock of the situation and suggest measures.
The arrested persons are Ramendra Pal (60), Khokan Dey (30), Babudeb Nath (60), Prasanna Das (50), Madan Deb Nath (50), Sankar Baidya (25), Dhananjoy Das Roy (68), Suresh Saha (19) and Raju Das Roy (31).
All the accused are the residents of Silapathar and the names of the first five accused even found mention in the First Information Report (FIR) lodged in connection with the incident.
Replying during the Zero Hour, Chandra Mohan Patowary said, �Nobody will be allowed to destabilise the social fabric of our society. The Bengali community is a part of the greater Assamese society and nobody will be allowed to disturb the harmony.�
�However, keeping in view the sensitivity of the incident, the State Government has deployed additional security forces in and around the area,� he said.
He also stated that antecedent of Dr Subodh Biswas, president, Nikhil Bharat Bangali Udbastu Samannay Samiti is also being examined and if his comments are found to be inflammatory, the Government may bar the group from holding of any such meeting henceforth.
Patowary also told the House that the Government has already ordered an inquiry by Additional Chief Secretary VB Pyarelal, report of which will be submitted within 30 days� time.
The Samity had on Monday organized the Silapathar rally to reportedly discuss a number of issues including granting of citizenship to the Hindu Bangladeshi as per the Indian Citizenship Act. However, the meet took an ugly turn when the members of the Samity allegedly entered into a confrontation with the members of the AASU and even went to vandalise the office of the students� body.
Earlier in the State Assembly, cutting across party lines, condemned the act and demanded that the culprits be brought to book.
While Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) leader Phani Bhusan Choudhury while raising the issue demanded an inquiry into the circumstances leading to the incident besides calling for a meeting of the State Integration Council, leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia (Congress) went on to allege that the Government has failed to read the situation.
�We want an inquiry by a sitting judge of the Gauhati High Court,� Saikia said.
