New Delhi: Even as curfew was lifted in Assam on Tuesday as anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests eased and internet services were also being restored, the Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress are blaming each other for inciting violence in Assam.
Recently, BJP MLA Himanta Biswa Sarma told the media that people responsible for the violence in Assam include a section of Congress workers, urban Naxals and Muslim radical groups. Sarma also claimed that 48 of the 107 people arrested in Guwahati were from the Lower Assam districts of Barpeta, Goalpara and Dhubri and “had come to indulge in violence” in the city. These districts have a majority of Bengali Muslims, often called as Bangladeshis or “illegal migrants”. He also displayed the photographs of people who allegedly had participated in the “Guwahati vandalism”, and claimed that it was obvious from their “clothes and ways” that they had very little to do with the permanent residents of the state. Sarma also said that the government will be forming a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the cases of violence during the anti-CAA protests.
However, the Assam Pradesh Congress committee (APCC) called it a witch hunt and vouched to initiate a probe by a sitting Supreme Court judge instead of by a SIT. Apurba Kumar Bhattacharya, APCC general secretary, told The Sunday Guardian: “The whole state machinery is with the BJP, then why don’t they initiate a probe by a sitting Supreme Court judge?” Bhattacharya also said: “Lakhs of people were out on the streets against the CAA. If the BJP thinks all these people are members of the Congress, how can they claim Assam as Congress-mukt? Also, if the Congress is involved in inciting violence, why hasn’t the BJP taken any action? The Home Ministry is after all under the BJP? The BJP is making false allegations out of frustration.” Bhattacharya also said that the Congress will conduct a “padyatra” across the state from Sunday.
Meanwhile, the BJP launched its “peace rally” in Nalbari district of Assam on Friday. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma participated in the “peace rally” along with other ministers of the state Cabinet. According to BJP sources, the party will organise such rallies in some other districts of the state soon. “Thousands of people participated in the rally at Nalbari. It was a silent peace rally. We will soon organise such rallies in other districts,” a source said.
The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) criticised the state government for its policy of domination, appeasement and division. Samujjal Bhattacharya, advisor of AASU, while addressing a public gathering at Chandmari playground, said that the government is trying to impose the policy of “daman” (domination) by suspending internet services and forcing the people to stay inside their homes amid curfew. He also attacked the government over its policy of appeasing people by promising lucrative jobs and pension facility for artistes.
The Assam government has introduced a plan to provide 55,000 jobs for youth and Rs 50,000 one-time pension for artistes across the state. Samujjal Bhattacharya also said that this “modus operandi” is creating a rift between the Hindus and Muslims in the state.
Assam was on a standstill with curfew and internet suspension as the anti-CAA protests turned violent after both the Houses of Parliament passed the contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill allowing non-Muslim persecuted minorities to get citizenship in India. People in Assam have opposed the move fearing a huge influx of Bangladeshi Hindus who will allegedly compromise the identity of Assamese people in future. So far, the Assam police have arrested 273 people and detained around 1,400 people in connection with the violence.