Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday called for a “healing touch” to the victims of violence, even as he announced compensation for them and Rs. 300 crore in Central assistance to Assam during a whirlwind tour of Kokrajhar district.
He said an impartial inquiry would be conducted into the causes of the violence, noting that “if the conflict has been instigated, the guilty must be punished.”
During the visit, delayed by two hours as the helicopter that flew him to Kokrajhar returned to Guwahati after developing a snag, Dr. Singh went to two relief camps — one at Commerce College where Bodos along with some non-Bodos are lodged and the other at Bodgaon High School where a large number of Muslims are staying.
There, he said: “The need of the hour is to provide relief to the people; gilay and shikway [grudge and complaints] could be addressed in a while.” Thereafter, Dr. Singh, also a Rajya Sabha MP from Assam, interacted with community and social leaders at the Circuit House.
Addressing journalists, he said: “The Centre will work closely with the State to provide relief to the people.”
He announced an immediate special Central assistance of Rs.100 crore to the State for relief and rehabilitation; Rs. 100 crore in special plan assistance for development programmes in the affected areas; and Rs. 100 crore in extra funds under the Indira Awas Yojana.
This apart, he announced an assistance of Rs. 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund to the kin of the deceased; Rs. 50,000 to the seriously injured; Rs. 30,000 to those whose houses were gutted; and Rs.20,000 to those whose houses were partially damaged.
Keywords: Assam ethnic violence, Kokrajhar riots, Bodo tribals, Assam curfew, migrants, Kokrajhar refugees
The media have played a destructive role. They have not been highlighting the Bangladeshi infiltration and supporting the UPA for their own narrow journalistic ends. These infiltrators have changed the ethnicity of Assam. Where are we proceeding from here? The media now highlight the plight of the minorities who are infiltrators surviving and flourishing on vote bank politics. The PM bravely announces Rs 300 crore relief out of taxpayers money after keeping mum on infiltration. Is this not misuse of public money and dereliction of duty in not containing infiltration?
what does 'healing touch' really even mean? can the PM ever offer any
realistic, feasible solutions, or will he always talk in the air, give
hypothetical idealistic solutions. what kind of hollow leadership is
this? Do something mr PM, and don't waste energy and time on such
mundane, typical reactions.
It is delorable that such violences have occurred.Government should have known the causes. However doling out money in the face of criminal behaviour of society(groups of people on both sides) is not the real answer to the problem although people and government needs to help its Citizens in time of distress. Government needs find out individually and collectively who were responsible for these actions and trying to achieve goal, compromise and restoration through Gandhian approach of self helps and reconciliations. If government does encourage people who are responsible for destructions of properties and lives( cannot be restored) to work on rstoration, then everything will be lost. Handing money will be to another source of absue etc. What is needed is a "Riot Tax" on the communities so that they pay some for their own bad activities whoever may be the source of disturbances. People should be held responsible for their action- KARMAFALL: This time people need real solution.
The people of India should learn to live together and respect each
other's feeling and beliefs. Killing is not a solution to any problem--
Eye for an eye will make the whole world blind. The government should
make the internal as well as public security system foolproof. The
guilty should be punished without partiality.I appreciate the efforts
and unbiased reporting of the newspaper.
"What happened is Assam is a national blot." "Malnutrition among
children is a national shame." Should these words be that of a prime
minister of a country? What does he intend to do beyond shedding
crocodile tears and mouthing platitudes like "we must all learn to live
together"? Come back to Delhi and cajole Rahul baba to take his seat?!
Dear viewers, some of you are quoting the word .'illegal migrants' to one section of riot victims. Please give me the documents that they are illegal migrants. You people are the prime culprits in such communal violence in Assam since 1979. You please study the population patterns of our state and then make such comment, just not on the ground that the victims are muslims. Please keep in mind, "violence begets violence."
PM did nt even care to visit the bodo camps. Lakhs of bodos have been
displaced but the central govt does nt even give a damn...... dis is the
way the central govt treats people from the north-east..... Shame!!!!!!
let the bodos prevail....... Bodo community is the ethinc community if
Assam.....Assamese ppl r one.......
Why didn't he visit bodo camp. While most people displaced are bodos.
Doling out money from the Prime Minister's Relief Fund not the only answer without looking at the root causes of this horrible action.Prime Minister's statement that "we will address the causes of the conflict" is a welcoming statement. Now let Indian Government work on it. It is going to be an uphill task for government if it does not ask the people in the community to take some responsibilty for their action. Remember what Gandhi was telling Roiters in West Bengal once. Now government has to have courage to ask reponsibility from the people by adopting some form of "Riot Tax" so that all these costs to the government can be partially paid for. Without working on true cause of the violence and without asking people to be responsible, govern may encourage bad behaviours. Let government lead on working on this REAL Cause of this conflict. No more swiping problem under the rug and just talk. Time has come for Country to wake up. Let Truth Prevail in this sad situation.
The PM is assuring the riot victims that the "causes of the ethnic violence in lower Assam will
be addressed". Didn't his government have any knowledge of a grave situation developing
before the violence actually broke out? If it didn't have, doesn't it reflect badly on the internal
security system of the government? However the media will not ask such questions because
Dr.Manmohan Singh is the Prime Minister and a Congress- led government is ruling the
country.
PM Manmohan Singh didn't even visited the bodo camp
What happened in Assam is really a cause of concern for all of us,why we
forget the teachings of Gandhi.The is not time to blame each other but
time is really come to introspect that why such kind of orthodox
incidents are happening again and again.
"This is not the time to make allegations and counter-allegations. We all have to live together." One must marvel at the ability of our Prime Minister to brush the violence under the carpet through subterfuge. This has always been the culture of Congress. First allow violence against minorities and weaker sections and later shed crocodile tears to mollify them. Shame on Congress! They are worse than the BJP.
why does the media support the illegal migrants all the time? indigeneous people of Assam stands no chances every time there is a dispute. kindly report unbiased news. You people have given full pictures of bangladeshi immigrants showing how much they are shattered but what about the people of Assam who are suffering from ages? the resource they are using and destroying our cultural heritage.
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