NEW DELHI, July 26 � Faced with criticism over handling of the situation in Kokrajhar, Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh has decided to tour Assam on Saturday to take stock of the situation and the steps being taken to control it.
The Prime Minister�s decision to tour Assam came after the UPA came under increasing pressure of the minority MPs. A delegation of all party Muslim MPs on Thursday called on Union Home Minister, P Chidambaram to demand Central intervention in Assam.
A member of the delegation K Rehman Khan, a Congress MP and former deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha told newsmen that they have lost confidence in the ability of the State Government to control the violence in Kokrajhar. �We have called for Central intervention,� Rehman Khan said.
The delegation also included Tariq Anwar of NCP and representatives of various political parties.
A member of the delegation Mohammad Asrarul Haque told this newspaper that they have asked the Centre to hand over the four districts in BTC area to the Army for restoration of law and order. �We have also suggested that safety of life and property of the affected people were of outmost importance, while rest of the issues can be settled later,� he said.
The delegation was unhappy over the handling of the situation by Assam Government in the BTC area. The Muslim MPs cutting across the political lines met here at an undisclosed
location to discuss the situation in the State. The meeting decided to prepare a memorandum and meet the Prime Minister, confirmed Haque.
The UPA Government has come under attack of various political parties including the BJP and the Left for the violence in Assam.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister is also expected to review the measures taken by the Government for relief and rehabilitation, sources said.
Dr Singh is likely to visit some of the relief camps in and around Kokrajhar before holding a high level meeting with the BTC officials, besides the Army and Central para-military force officials.
Meanwhile, Union Home Secretary R.K. Singh said on Thursday that the situation in Assam is �much better�.
�Two incidents happened yesterday. At least 42 companies of paramilitary forces have reached. Another 22 will reach be reaching by this evening. The Prime Minister is going to Assam on Saturday,� Singh said.
�Our aim is to provide help and assistance to the people in camps. Approximately 1.71lakh people have been displaced,� Singh added.
The Home Singh informed that he has been in constant touch with the State authorities in Assam. �The Centre and the State Government are both clear that any violence on any side that is instigated and results in loss of life, the leaders on both the sides shall be made responsible. �I have been speaking to the Chief Secretary and the DGP of Assam. I have spoken to them a number of times. Day before yesterday, I spoke to Bodo leaders. Yesterday, I spoke to the Chief Minister,� he revealed.
Meanwhile, the Politbureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) expressing concern at the escalating violence held the Congress Party squarely responsible. This is a monumental failure of the Congress-led Government in Assam which refused to take timely action allowing the tensions to increase from the first incident on July 6.
