Oppn demands accountability from Assam govt as SC seeks details on 171 encounter deaths
Representative Image: Supreme Court directs Assam government to provide details about the encounter deaths in the State
Guwahati, Oct 23: As the by-poll atmosphere in the state heats up, the Supreme Court's directive for the state to provide details on 171 alleged encounter killings has prompted the Opposition to seize the opportunity to hold the government accountable.
Calling it a "serious violation of human rights nationwide," Congressman Ripun Bora has questioned how the number of encounter killings increased during the tenure of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
"In Parliament, Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that Assam has the highest number of such cases in the country. While the PIL in the Supreme Court mentions only 171 incidents, there are surely more that went unregistered or unmentioned in FIRs. Tragically, 56 people have died within just one year, and notably, this number has risen since Himanta Biswa Sarma took office as Chief Minister," he said.
Bora, who recently returned to Congress from the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), stated that the issue has reached the Human Rights Commission and has brought shame to the state on a national level.
"If only one or two people were shot while trying to escape police custody, that might be understandable, but 171 is an alarming figure. Did all 171 attempt to flee? This appears to be a deliberate action," he remarked, expressing gratitude to the apex court for addressing the move.
Echoing the sentiments of the Congress party, the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) has expressed skepticism about the government’s ability to provide "accurate data" to the Supreme Court regarding the killings.
"We doubt whether the state can deliver the accurate details requested by the Court. If they were capable, they would have done so earlier. We appreciate the Supreme Court's intervention," stated Raju Phukan, AJP secretary.
In response, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) countered the Opposition's concerns, asserting that clarity will emerge once the state government submits the reports as mandated by the apex court.
"This is a court procedure, and the Supreme Court has directed the state government to provide details about the killings. This is not a verdict but a directive from the apex court. Once the government submits the reports, everything will become clear, as this pertains to police action," said Jayanta Kumar Goswami, convenor of the BJP's legal cell in Assam.
