By -T Navajyoti
Guwahati, Nov. 2.
Patriotic People’s Front Assam (PPFA), expressing utter dismay over the killing of five common people in eastern Assam last evening, has asked the authority to take stringent actions against the culprits. The forum of nationalists also appeals the residents of both Brahmaputra and Barak valleys to maintain communal harmony in the time of crisis.
It may be noted that five people belonging to a particular linguistic community, were targeted by suspected militants in Dhola locality of Tinsukia district on Thursday evening. A group of armed militants, understandably belonged to United Liberation Front of Assam (Independent), had abducted six youths from a Dhaba and later gunned down near Brahmaputra river. Five of them died on the spot and one is in the hospital with injuries.
Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal as usual condemned the killing of innocent people and conveyed his sympathy to the bereaved families. He also stated that strong actions would be taken against the perpetrators of this dastardly act. Union home minister Rajnath Singh also expressed deep anguish over the civilian casualties. Terming it a reprehensible act of mindless violence, Singh had asked the State chief minister, also in charge of home portfolio, to take strict possible action against the perpetrators.
PPFA, which had earlier expressed serious concern over the ‘government inactions against fabricated and unruly comment & activities by some individuals’, demanded the authority to take swift & proper actions against the culprits.
“What was shocking that, the State government and concerned authorities remained mute spectators to such unruly comments & activities by some individuals in the public domain. Assam chief minister should have treated it as his call,” asserted the forum. The forum, in its earlier statement said that on the issue of citizenship amendment exercises (by the Union government in New Delhi), a section of individuals in Assam started making illogical and unruly comments. “We agree that the voice of dissidents should be raised in need, but that must not encourage indulging in illegal activities,” stated the PPFA.
Needs to be mentioned that, following the Assam Bandh called by many organizations and Asom Gana Parishad sponsored rally against the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016 on 23 October, various individuals representing different organizations of the State had made outrageous comments against a particular community.
“Some of them even did not hesitate to declare that they would attack the opponents to impose their point of views,” said the PPFA statement.
Finally it appealed to everyone including the politicians, former rebel leaders, social activists etc to exercise restraints over comments on various socio-political issues and respect the opponent
views. It also requested the social media users to be judicious while putting their views in alternate media maintaining due decencies.
