KOKRAJHAR VIOLENCE

The present communal riot in Kokrajhar, one of the four contiguous districts of the Boro Territorial Autonomous District (BTDA) reported to have caused when unidentified men killed four youths on Friday night. The matter came to worsen when armed Bodos attacked Muslims suspecting they were behind the killing.

If we are to take the current matter seriously and think deeply, we can say that Communal riots was always present in our nation from the Pre-Independence era to Post Independence and can be specially attributed to the after-effect of India’s Independence.

Though the British has left India but they have also succeeded in dividing India and Pakistan. That led both the parties (Hindu & Muslim) to struggle for power and control on resources. Coming back to Assam communal riot, it is rightful to say that illegal migration from Bangladesh to Assam was the core behind the violence. Migration into Assam mainly from Bangladesh has been taking place from the dawn of history. Ultimately, the influx of illegal migrants from Bangladesh into Assam has caused a matter of grave concern. Threatens to dominate or rule over the people belonging to their own state and thereby establishes their immigrant power and suppressed the indigenous people. Over decades, population movement from Bangladesh continued and increased in parts of Assam namely Kokrajhar districts, procured lands from many indigenous people and outnumbered them.

As a result, we are facing this much awaited consequence today. Over the course of time sparks were finally ignited into an inferno.

The ‘Kokrajhar Violence’ that started on Friday (20/07/12) is still out of control. According to main news reports (Deccan Herald, The Assam tribune, et al) death toll touched 44 and more than 2 lacs people have been displaced or are taking shelter in the relief camps. Areas that fall under BTAD – Kokrajhar, chirang and Dhubri districts are still under tense situation. O such phase, leaders from opposition party (BJP) criticised Prime Minister Mr. Manmohan Singh, who is an MP from Assam on the ground of incapable to control the communal tension, while CM, Tarun Gogoi is more concerned in claiming that “Assam is not burning and it will take the state two or three days to normal” He also added that “This is not an ethnic clash but an act by miscreants and stern measures will be taken to punish the guilty according to the law of the land.” On the other hand, centre govt have stricyly made it clear that leaders from both bodos and minority communities will be held responsible or further loss. To keep matter under control, the govt has deployed paramilitary forces to the affected areas.

Had the govt put stern action in the earlier days, or put up strong factors to control infiltration or effective arrangement in controlling and registration of immigrants then may be the present ‘Kokrajhar viloence’ or any communal scenario would not have occurred and there would have been no loss to anyone be it life or property or even harm the dignity of the country.