‘Congress fomenting communal trouble to retain its vote bank’

‘Congress fomenting communal trouble to retain its vote bank’

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, July 23: Taking a serious note of the recent Barpeta incident, noted lawyer Nekibur Zaman has alleged that the ruling Congress is trying to keep its Bangladeshi vote bank intact by creating communal disturbance over the issue of update of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the State.

Talking to The Sentinel today, Zaman said the State Government was even using district administration to foment communal disturbance for its narrow political gains.

At least four persons were killed and over 50 injured in Barpeta town on Wednesday when the police opened fire on activists of the All Assam Minority Students’ Union (AAMSU) when they went berserk in protest against the NRC update exercise.

“If updating of the NRC is completed, the issue of Bangladeshis who came to the State after 1971 will be settled and the Congress will not get their votes. So the Congress is trying to create communal disturbance in order to stop the work on the NRC update. Since these migrants are drifting towards AIUDF and other regional parties, the Congress is desperate to retain its traditional vote bank. By creating such disturbance as in Barpeta, the Congress would try to give the impression that the party is with them and they need not worry,” said the lawyer.

Zaman said, “In fact, the State Government can’t stop the update of the NRC that takes place under the supervision of the Centre.’’

“During the recent rally organized by the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) in Guwahati, barricades were set up in different places and security personnel deployed on the roads. The KMSS protesters were kept at a distance from the office of the Kamrup Deputy Commissioner. Why weren’t similar security arrangements made for the AAMSU rally in Barpeta?” asked Zaman.

He said, “The Barpeta district administration did not take any step to control the AAMSU rally that covered seven kilometres from Howli to Barpeta. Why were the AAMSU activists allowed to come near the office of the Barpeta Deputy Commissioner? Why did the district administration wait till the situation went out of control?”

THE SENTINEL