GUWAHATI, Nov 9 � Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today shared the concern expressed by the members of the Opposition in the State Assembly on the killing of 19 innocent people in different parts of the State by the anti-talk faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) yesterday. He also denied categorically that there was any nexus between the Congress and the militant group.
The Chief Minister, who was replying to a debate on the yesterday killing, said that the Government would take firm steps, as wished by the members of the House, against those involved in the yesterday incidents, attributing the incidents to the anti-talk faction of the militant group.
Denying that there was failure on the part of the Government to act as per the intelligence information, he said that the intelligence inputs were not specific. Or else, steps would have been there to prevent occurrence of the violent incidents. He also claimed that in many cases, occurrence of such incidents could be prevented, despite failure in preventing some such incidents.
Moreover, he said, security forces withdrawal from the State due to elections and violent incidents elsewhere in the country has also caused problems for the State Government. Also, there is dearth of facilities to train new Police Department recruits, he said.
The anti-talk factions start indulging in violence whenever there is any attempt at carrying forward the dialogue process with their pro-talk factions, he said, making an appeal to all to extend cooperation in tackling the forces of violence.
He assured the House that firm steps would also be taken against the pro-talk factions of the militant groups if they violate the ceasefire ground rules. Reports are there that such pro-talk factions are also indulging in �violent behaviour,� he said.
The Chief Minister claimed that the ongoing process to hold talks with the militant groups has no link with the ensuing Assembly elections. �They have no following among the masses of the people. How can they help us muster votes,� he questioned.
On the allegation of the Government not providing adequate security to the Opposition leaders and MLAs, the Chief Minister said that the Government has provided much security to the Opposition leaders.
Earlier, raising the issue, Padma Hazarika (AGP) questioned whether the Government is taking things lightly, referring to the NDFB warning that it would kill 20 Indians if one of its cadres is killed by the security forces.
He demanded a judicial enquiry to find out the forces involved in the incidents of violence in the north bank areas. In the north bank areas, the NDFB is running a parallel Government making a mockery of the existence of the State Government. To survive, people are paying tax to the NDFB in these areas. Cases are also there of the hapless people selling their property to pay the militants the extortion amounts.
There is no coordination between the police and the Army in tackling the militants operating in the interior areas, where the Army has its presence, alleged the AGP legislator. He also alleged that despite there being threats to his life, his security is sought to be reduced.
Leader of the Opposition Prafulla Kumar Mahanta said that the Government is taking things casually. Besides the north bank areas, he said, people are paying taxes to the militant groups in Karbi Anglong also. People are living under a constant threat to their lives in these areas, he said
The Government should assume responsibility for all these developments and it should not make things lighter by drawing a parallel with the time of the AGP rule, he said.
Ranjit Dutta (BJP), Ananta Deka (CPI-M), Sirajuddin Ajmal (AIUDF), Chandra Mohan Patowary, Anup Phukan and Girin Barua (all AGP) also took part in the discussion, among others.
