Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Antisocials disturbing peace in the region: NDFB

UDALGURI, Feb 5: The National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) has complained that antisocial elements have been creating terror in the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) region. A memorandum in this regard was submitted by the NDFB to the chairman of the joint monitoring group, Navin Verma, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. It is worth mentioning that the NDFB and the Government have signed a ceasefire agreement.
M Gerema, NDFB organising secretary, who is also a member of the joint monitoring group, has stated in this memorandum that “a situation of peace and serenity among the Boro people started to rule the roost at the initiation of the NDFB after they came to terms of ceasefire with the Government.”
But this peace seems to be elusive and short-lived due to the antagonistic and mindless activities of some antisocial elements, who are working against peace and unity of the Boro people for someone’s vested interests. With unabated unlawful and atrocious activities, the antisocial elements are creating terror among the innocent peace-loving people of the entire area, which is unacceptable and intolerable for a civilized society, he added.In retribution to some of the nefarious activities of those miscreants, the peace-loving people and the NDFB members had approached the district administration with an appeal to take action against them. But due to reasons best known to the district administration officials, no action has been taken so far. This is nothing but a handiwork of a circle of people having vested interests, who are out just to disrupt and derail the ‘Indo-Boro’ peace process. The statement also questioned the authenticity of a few incidents.
On December 29 last year, Ranjit Harao Basumatary and Bulbul Basumatary were arrested at Halang Bazar, under Serfangguri PS in Kokrajhar by the 11th Maratha Regiment led by Maj Ajay Singh Rana while they were allegedly ‘roaming around’ with AK-56 rifles. But to everybody’s surprise and dismay they were released later due to an unspecified reason.
The NDFB questioned as to under what circumstances and under which sections of the law of the land could Maj Ajay Singh Rana release the miscreants who were arrested along with lethal weapons.
On January 1, some miscreants equipped with sophisticated arms allegedly threatened the members of the Simbargaon Anchalik committee of the All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU), with dire consequences and such acts of threatening are going on in the BTC region.
On January 14, at Bhatarmari near Kokrajhar town, an attempt was allegedly made on the life of Kabiranjan Brahma, president of the youth cell of the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF), when he was on the way home along with his family by some antisocial elements, who fired several rounds of bullets at Brahma, who luckily escaped without any injury.
On the very next day, a murderous attempt was made on some innocent people at the house of one Maneswar Narzary, the village headman of Batabari village in Simbargaon area in Kokrajhar district by some miscreants who allegedly hurled grenades causing serious injury to the people. Even on the next day, a group of miscreants attacked Rajib Brahma, finance secretary, Boro People’s Forum for Peace and Rights, Kokrajhar district anchalik committee, and physically assaulted him.
On the same day, on January 16, some miscreants led by one Amio Boro opened indiscriminate firing at unarmed NDFB members, R Bokhra and Rajesh Boro who sustained serious injuries just near the Army camp in Barama, in Baksa district, while they were on their way to Kharuwa to attend the Magh Mela festival, organised by the local people of Kharuwa village, on the occasion of Magh Bihu.With these references, the NDFB has also sent copies of the memorandum to Asom Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, IGP (SB) Khagen Sarmah and Rajib Bora, Commissioner, Home Affairs, Government of Asom.

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