Solving the 'ST' issue: Need of the hour

Star crossed Assam witnessed yet another assault last night when a powerful bomb planted on the tracks ripped off the luggage van of the Rajdhani Express killing five persons and injuring four others. The 2423 A Down Rajdhani Express was proceeding from Dibrugarh to Guwahati between Naojan and Chongajan railway stations in Golaghat district at about 1.06 am on the ill fated night of December 13.

Though the police have not yet ascertained the identity of the militants however they claimed that Adivasi National Liberation Army (ANLA) militants were presumed to be behind the blast.

A Central team is coming to take stock of the situation in the aftermath of the blast. It is alleged that the Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta has asked the chief secretary to take measure and beef up security in the state. The recent violent incidents occurring in Assam prior to days before the Panchayat Polls has jolted the Centre. It is fearful of the probability of more violence in the state if the ULFA seizes this opportunity to join hands with the Adivasi outfits and unleash fresh violence in the state.

Sadly, the governments both at the Centre and the State have failed to find a solution to the burning problems of Assam. Governments have come and governments have gone but none had any breakthrough to solve the issues afflicting Assam.

Moreover, the inability of the Central government in finding concrete steps to solve the issue of including six communities of Assam in the list of scheduled tribes has aggravated the situation blowing it out of proportion. Organisations representing the six communities have gone into agitating mode threatening to make the situation even worse. As a result of this it is the people of Assam as a whole undivided and irrespective of the communities they belong to are burning in the fire of a political pyre.

The decision of including the six communities in the list of scheduled tribes list has been a long awaited one as it was way back in 1990 when the proposal was put forward by the state government. Meanwhile the existing tribal groups are not at all amused over the inclusion of the six communities fearing the future of their rights and privileges.

The government needs to take a firm decision at this juncture and put an end to the conflict that threatens to tear apart an already fragmented Assam.