GUWAHATI, Nov 10 � The Opposition today charged the State Government with allowing the NDFB (anti-talk faction) to run a parallel government in north Assam by turning a blind eye to its anti-social activities including killings, extortion and kidnapping in the area.
It also urged Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi to ensure better coordination among various security agencies engaged in counter-insurgency operations under the unified command structure, and to launch offensives to bust NDFB camps along the Assam-Arunachal border.
Addressing a joint press conference, AGP leaders Chandramohan Patowary and Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, BJP president Ranjit Dutta, CPM leader Uddhab Barman, CPI leader Drupad Borgohain, AIUDF leader Dr Aditya Langthasa and Independent MLA Bhuban Pegu said that following their visit yesterday to the areas hit by NDFB violence and interaction with the affected people, it was apparent that the NDFB was letting loose its reign of terror along the entire north bank with little intervention from the Government.
Pointing out to the lax security arrangements in the area, Mahanta said that security forces were bemoaning the lack of clear-cut directives from the Government. "There was no presence of security forces even after 24 hours of the NDFB bloodbath," he added.
Patowary said that to make matters worse, the temporary police outposts set up at Sijusa and Balijuri during 1997-2000 were withdrawn.
Borgohain and Pegu said that the NDFB had been indulging in extortion and regular 'tax' collection from the people in the area for a long time but the State Government never took the situation seriously. "There must be adequate deployment of security forces in the affected areas. The inaction of the Government proves the Government's utter failure or else it is having an unholy nexus with the militants," Pegu said.
The Opposition also submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister, demanding better running of the unified command structure, deployment of sufficient security forces for protecting the people and their property in the affected areas, destroying the NDFB camps on the Assam-Arunachal border immediate setting up of police and security outposts at Tinisuti, Barjaroni, etc., areas under Sijusa, Hatipoti, Balijuri and Behali constituencies as sensitive areas, improving road and transport communication along the Assam-Arunachal border, and adequate compensation and rehabilitation of those affected by NDFB violence.
Later, at another press conference, the BJP said that the rapidly mounting crime graph in the State since 2001 exposed the State Government's failure in containing the deteriorating law and order, and demanded the Chief Minister's resignation from the Home portfolio.
Giving an account of the different crimes, BJP president Ranjit Dutta said that the number of killings, extortion, robbery and kidnapping in the State since 2001 stood at 12,394, 5,325, 3,291 and 18,828 respectively. "This is an extremely serious situation and betrays the Government to be a non-existing entity with the people left to the mercy of terrorists and anti-socials," Dutta said.
"The Chief Minister ought to take responsibility for this disturbing situation and relieve himself of the Home portfolio," Dutta said.
The All Assam Tribal Sangha, while condemning the carnage by the NDFB, called upon the Government to enter into a dialogue without any preconditions. It also asked the NDFB to honour the age-old bond of amity among diverse sections of the State's populace and refrain from shedding innocent blood.
The Assam Pradesh Mahila Congress also condemned the NDFB brutality, saying that the people of Assam would never forgive the NDFB for their inhuman acts.