GUWAHATI, Jan 16 - With agitations against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 gathering momentum, all the district police forces have been directed to review the security of the leaders and workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while, there is apprehension that the United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) may try to take advantage of the situation to make its presence left, particularly in the areas bordering Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland.
Highly placed security sources told The Assam Tribune that the district police forces have been directed to keep watch on the situation and to review the security of the BJP workers periodically and take necessary measures whenever required. Sources pointed out that as the Bill has become an emotional issue, the possibility of BJP leaders and workers getting targeted by some over enthusiastic members of the groups agitating against the Bill cannot be ruled out and that is why the district police forces have been asked to be on the alert to avoid any untoward incident. Moreover, adequate care has been taken on the visits of the ministers in the areas bordering Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland as there have been reports of movements of ULFA(I) members in those areas.
Sources revealed that the security cover of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is already very tight and no need was felt for increasing it further. But senior officers have been interacting with Chief Minister�s security personnel on regular basis and the police personnel of the districts where he is visiting are also keeping a close watch on the situation. The Chief Minister has been using helicopter even to travel short distances as he has been facing black flag demonstration. Only yesterday, a decoy convoy was sent on the route through which the Chief Minister was supposed to travel in Nagaon district and the persons demonstrating with black flags were picked up by police. The convoy of the Chief Minister passed through without any trouble soon thereafter. Such kinds of steps may be taken by the police in other parts of the State also if felt necessary in the days to come. It is up to the district police forces to keep watch on the situation and act accordingly to prevent any untoward incident, sources added.
Meanwhile, police and security forces are apprehensive of actions by the ULFA(I) as there have been reports of movement of the militants along the inter-state border areas. The Assam Rifles personnel, deployed to guard the international border with Myanmar, has increased deployment along the border, while, following a directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the frequency of meetings and sharing of information between the police forces of the bordering districts and the security forces deployed in the area has increased. Sources said that according to reports available, the militant groups are still maintaining some bases in Tuensang and Mon districts of Nagaland and Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts of Arunachal Pradesh, which is a cause of concern for Assam Police.
