NEW DELHI, Aug 28 � Castigating the BJP for trying to give a different spin to the current turmoil in Assam, Congress president Sonia Gandhi today pitched for �strictest possible action� against those who targeted people from the North-east.
Addressing the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) at the Parliament House here this morning, the Congress president described as �unacceptable� the ethnic violence in Assam, saying that no government can ignore such �treacherous activities.�
The Congress president told her party MPs that targeting of people from North-East in Mumbai, Bengaluru and in other parts of the country in the wake of the Assam violence was �painful and unacceptable.� �The strictest possible action must be taken against those who deliberately seek to divide us, incite and provoke people by their incendiary speeches and aggressive actions,� the Congress president said.
Referring to the incidents of targeting of the people of North-east in other parts of the country, Gandhi said she was glad that the Lok Sabha spoke in one voice on their behalf.
�Like all our citizens, they have every constitutional right to study, work and live in any part of our country with complete safety and security.�
The Congress president alleged that the BJP courted political controversy by seeking to portray it as an inhabitant versus foreigner issue. �This is not the time for partisan finger pointing. The immediate need is for healing wounds and bringing about reconciliation among the communities that have been hurt so grievously,� she said.
