GUWAHATI, June 24 � Former Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta on Friday demanded a judicial inquiry into the June 22 incident that led to the death of three people and injury of many others protesting against forced eviction, at Dispur Last Gate under the banner of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS).
Mahanta also alleged that the government had allowed things to take an ugly turn as it wanted to throttle the main voices of protest.
Addressing media persons here, Mahanta said that only a judicial inquiry by a judge of Gauhati High Court will give a clear picture into the incident and actually who were involved in arson and violence. Recalling previous incidents, Mahanta said that administrative inquiries in the State have never provided the true picture.
�If there was an unlawful assembly at Dispur Last Gate under KMSS, why did the government not disperse the gathering at the beginning itself? Why did the government not follow the norms applicable when there is a riot?� asked Mahanta.
Mahanta pointed out that the Congress government has always been biased when issues revolved around the indigenous people. �Earlier also, the Congress government had trampled democratic movements and it maintained its tradition on June 22 also,� said Mahanta demanding that the deceased be adequately compensated. He also described the attitude of the government towards the deceased as unfortunate. It needs to be mentioned here that different organizations have demanded adequate compensation for the deceased and the injured.
On the other hand, Mahanta said that haphazard eviction cannot be supported nor any kind of violence. �The government must give patta and rehabilitate the indigenous people in a scientific manner,� insisted Mahanta remarking that Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has totally failed.
Mahanta further said that a democratically elected government has no right to strangle a democratic movement.
