Replying to a debate on the issue of violence in Assam that has so far claimed 74 lives, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said the government was taking the issue seriously and has already initiated a CBI inquiry to ascertain the causes behind the violent incidents.
“The government is taking this issue very seriously. A CBI team has gone there and an inquiry has started....I have instructed the Army to be alert,” he said.
As the opposition created an uproar expressing dissatisfaction over his reply, Mr. Shinde said, “I have instructed the Army to be on alert. What else do you want?”
He also listed the steps taken by the government to provide relief and rehabilitation, but the opposition dismissed what he said by creating uproar.
‘Vote-bank politics’
Earlier, Leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitley charged the government with adopting the policy of vote-bank politics that led to the current violent incidents in the State and alleged that the region was “not safe in its hands” if such a policy continued.
Mr. Jaitley also urged the government to have a relook at “this vote-bank policy” and start identifying the real problem of illegal infiltration that was causing unrest in the area.
“If you adopt the original line of Gopinath Bordoloi (former BJP leader who wanted the cultural and linguistic identity of the North East) India will be safe in your hands. But if you adopt vote bank politics, I don’t think this region is safe in your hands,” he said.
Mr. Jaitley accused the Centre of adopting a “clerical” approach to the problem and urged the Home Minister to reject such an approach.
“Here was a government which not only discarded the original Assam line...” but encouraged illegal infiltration enmasse in search of vote-bank politics, he said.
Welcoming the CBI probe into the issue, Mr. Jaitley urged the government not to treat this as a “simple crime” and not “miss out” on the issues as to why such incidents have taken place.
He also feared that going by “the kind of situation that is existing in these areas, such incidents are likely to be repeated”.
“Is this is not a normal consequence of the unnatural change of the demography that has taken place in those areas?” he asked.
Immigrants’ issue
Responding to the points raised by the members, Mr. Shinde said the government shared the concern expressed by the Opposition on the issue.
“The concern that is yours is also ours...communal tension has taken place in three districts of Assam not for the first time...This is not an issue concerning BJP or Congress. This is an issue concerning all. The country belongs to all,” he said.
The Minister said it was not right to talk about Hindus or Muslims as “it is not right ... not good for the nation” and defended the decision not to enforce the Foreigners Act for deporting immigrants.
He pointed out that it took 18 years to deport a foreigner in a particular case and said the government had set up 36 Tribunals instead.
However, the Opposition was not happy with his reply.
Comments
Add new comment