Only two words ‘secret killings’ struck no less storm across Assam 15 years back where the relatives and friends of a section of ULFAleaders went missing. The bodies were recovered later without any clue to follow the perpetrators. But strangely, protests refused to surface not to speak of police investigation. Even nobody from the government was with the bereaved family members. One after another such incidents kept Assam’s socio political scene on the boil during the erstwhile Mahanta regime.
Congress, in 2001, was quick to make it a poll issue blaming it all on the AGP-led four party alliance government for it. The anger and resentment among the people helped Congress regain Dispur in the assembly polls. These incidents stopped happening with the change of guards in Dispur. Since then, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, at regular intervals has been taking on AGP and Mahanta alleging their involvement in these extra judicial killings.
After coming to power the Chief Minister set up the Justice Khagendra Nath Saikia to probe into these incidents of secret killings. After conducting hearings, the KN Saikia panel indicted the then Mahanta Government. But nobody was put behind the bars. Finally, even Gogoi expressed his helplessness. Thus, the entire controversy has remained inconclusive.
But of late, the pre poll political landscape seems to have taken a different course. Of late, Chief Minister Gogoi named BJP and the then Union Home Minister LK Advani in the secret killing cases alleging that the NDA government got these people killed by the then AGP-led government. The statement assumed significance in view of the secret understanding with the regional party in the poll bound state.
AGP has also changed its stand on the secret killing cases. Party leader and former education minister Thaneswar Bodo on Wednesday told reporters that the NDA government at the Centre used the state in these incidents. Like Gogoi, Boro named LK Advani. These statements have suggested that AGP and Congress are inching closer to each other for a poll understanding. Is it the end of a cry of justice?
Never did Rahul Gandhi think that his statement targetting BJP and RSS would run into a hail of anger across Assam after the Barpeta monastery controversy. But it has happened. That too four months before the assembly polls where his party pins hopes on four consecutive term with Tarun Gogoi as Chief Minister. The simmering anger started bursting in the Vaishavite town as soon as the Congress vice president named RSS alleging to have faced hurdle to visit the monastery before an end to his two days visit to Assam. With this statement, Gandhi was trying to justify Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi's accusation against RSS and BJP. Basistha Deba Sarma, the head of the 16 century monastery...
North-East Forum for International Solidarity (NEFIS), in discussion with Irom Sharmila, organized a twelve-hour hunger strike to mark the 15th year of her heroic struggle against Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) on Monday. It is to be noted that on November 2, 2000 a terrible tragedy shook the state of Manipur when 10 civilians were shot dead by paramilitary forces at a local bus-stop in Malom, Manipur. Among the deceased was an 18-year old National Bravery Award winner. The massacre triggered angry protests across Manipur and led to Irom Sharmila going on her epic fast a few days later. Justice, however, continues to be denied in the case of the Malom massacre and many other such...
Guwahati is gearing up to host the 12th ISL match on Thursday where Northeast United FC are taking on FC Goa. But exorbitant ticket price and two time defeat of the home team seem to have left the soccer fans high and dry. The match is scheduled to take place at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Sarusajai at 7 in the evening. Amid tight security ring, the players have been lodging at the Radisson Blue Hotel where their fans are thronging to get a glimpse of their favourite footballers. Many football fans are quite disappointed with the exorbitant ticket prices which is far beyond the reach of the common people. “The price this time is double of what it stood in the last...
Can India get permanent berth in the UN security? The answer is simply no. But why? Its because of the Arms Forces (Special Powers) Act. This is more or less of what Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign believes. The NGO’s observation is different. Here is the full text: Irom Sharmila appeared in the Delhi Court on Tuesday and Wednesday for the trial of the 2006 Jantar Mantar Case where Delhi Police lodged a case against her in section 309 of attempt to suicide. During the hearing, she reiterated her truth that she is not committing suicide. She is not taking life; instead she is appealing to protect the right to life. In the hearing, she also reiterated the undemocratic and...
More than 70 persons who contested the last assembly and parliamentary polls won’t be able to do it till 2017. The Election Commission has disqualified them for not submitting the expenditure details under Section 10 of the Representation of Peoples’ Act.In its recent communication to the state electoral officers, the country’s poll panel has disqualified these candidates till 2017 if they fail to get any legal and valid ground confirmed by the authority.These candidates include four from Dhubri in addition one each from Barpeta, Jorhat, Nagaon parliamentary constituencies. Silchar has 3 disqualified candidates along with 2 in Karimganj and 4 from Kaliabor constituencies.The Election...
Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal took on chief minister Tarun Gogoi on Wednesday a day after the latter thrashed state BJP MPs alleging lack of voice in New Delhi.Talking to reporters at the sidelines of a function in Sonapur in the outskirt of Guwahati city, the former state BJP president said that the BJP MPs have been discharging their duties and responsibilities in parliament. “Gogoi should concentrate on his own duties. It would be better for the chief minister to concentrate on the development of the state than blaming it all on BJP,” said Sonowal.According to the Union minister, Gogoi has no option to cover up his failure but to blame to BJP for all issues of the state.Notably,...
ULFA’s demand for a sovereign Assam found an echo in the United Nations way back in 2006. The man who took the lead was none other than Dr Mukul Hazarika. In his address the South Asia and South Asia Confederation of Nations during the Second Session of the Human Rights Council from September 18 to October 6, 2006 at Geneva, the widely believed current ULFA chairman strongly advocated sovereignty for Assam.He said, “the ULFA had to take up arms as the last resort to restore the sovereignty from the colonial occupation of India. In her own statistics India reveals that more than ten thousand Assamese lives have been lost so far as a result of this conflict.”Dr Hazarika, who later was...
Amid simmering protest over the NDA government’s move for Indian citizenship to the non-Muslim intruders from Bangladesh and Pakistan, veteran journalist and north east expert Sanjay Hazarika said that it cannot be objected if there has been due process of law and adequate checking of individual cases before citizenship is granted.Talking to Assam Times on Wednesday, Prof. Hazarika, the director of the Centre for North East Studies and Policy Research with the Jamia Milia Islamia said, “On the issue of religious minorities (Hindus etc) being given refuge in this country, one is not surprised at all by the decision by this Government, given its propensities in such matters.” According...
A section of dissident Congress MLAs have come back to Guwahati on Sunday a day after they met BJP leadership. But uncertainty still persists. Sources told Assam Times that neither the central leadership and nor the state leadership have confirmed them a date to join the party.“The state leadership refused to deal with their demands and suggested them to take up the issue with the central leadership. But the solution eluded when they talked to BJP president Amit Shah. Much to a major disappointment Shah asked them to contact the state leadership for any confirmation,” said a senior BJP leaders in Guwahati.Notably, at the initiative of Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma they met Amit Shah on Saturday...
Both Congress and BJP leadership in New Delhi have drawn flak in Assam for downplaying the flood fury in the state. Various parties and organizations have categorically alleged that neither Congress nor BJP has been serious on the perennial issue.“Neither Prime Minister Narendra Modi nor BJP president Amit Shah has visited the flood-hit people. Doesn’t it suggest lack of seriousness of the people in the distant Delhi?,” said Mukul Saikia a Congress leader from Nagaon.Saikia said,” during UPA regime prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi along with several senior ministers visited the marooned people.”AASU leaders in Dibrugarh said the NDA government is least bothered about the...
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