Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has expressed a deep sense of anguish over the incidents of violence along Assam-Nagaland border that took place on 12 August, claiming lives of 9 people and injuring 7. Besides, reported burning of some houses by miscreants has resulted in displacement of a large number of people who took refuge in relief camps.
It has again been reported today that 2 persons died in police action and 15 State police personnel got injured in the Golaghat district of Assam while trying to maintain law and order.
The home minister spoke to the Chief Ministers of Assam and Nagaland requesting them to take all precautionary measures for restoration of normalcy in the area. Besides, the State governments have also been advised to take all administrative and security measures to deal with the law and order situation in their respective areas of jurisdiction. The Union Government will provide all possible assistance of ex-gratia relief and early rehabilitation of people at their original location who are presently staying in the relief camps.
The home minister has also appealed to the people to maintain peace and normalcy.
Under instruction from Singh, Union Minister of State (Home) Kiren Rijiju is visiting Assam to review the situation. The MoS has defended the role of central government with regard to the clashes on the Assam and Nagaland border. He has said that central government will provide all the necessary assistance, but the onus is on the states to resolve the matter.
Rijiju said, “Whatever has happened in Assam is because of the problem in Assam Nagaland border. The Assam Government and the Nagaland Government should sit together and resolve the problem.”
He said, “We have sent forces from the centre only when they were unable to resolve the issue by themselves and because of which the clashes broke out resulting in some deaths. After the deaths, there was a reaction in Assam and nine police personnel form Nagaland police were held captive for four days in Golaghat near the Assam-Nagaland border. We have sent forces and all of them have been freed.”
He further said, “As far as border dispute is concerned, the onus is on the states to resolve the matter, we can only provide them assistance.”
About the firing issue he said that it is not right to blame the centre or Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) because law and order is a state subject. Centre sends forces, it is up to the state governments to regulate them.
Previously, Chief Ministers of Assam and Nagaland, Tarun Gogoi and TR Zeliang had reportedly sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s help to resolve their border-related issues.
The reported appeal has come when Gogoi’s convoy was reportedly attacked in the Golaghat area near the Assam-Nagaland border, prompting local police to fire in the air and launch a baton charge to disperse the protesters.
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