With launching of AAMSU, Assam agitation takes a turn towards violence

Like the pre-monsoon weather in Assam, when drizzle and sunshine chase each other, hopes of an early settlement to the eight-month long agitation alternate with despair as the Governor's Principal Adviser, H.C. Sarin, airdashes up and down between Gauhati and New Delhi.With elections to the nine state assemblies out of the way this fortnight, the Centre is expected to focus its undiverted attention on the troubled state. And the people of Assam are waiting for what is expected to be the final round of the war of nerves between the Centre and the agitators. With no need to keep an eye on the elections. Mrs Gandhi can come down heavily on the movement without fearing electoral repercussions. On the other hand, she can choose to be accommodating without fear of a loss of face. While the Government is gearing up its police and security forces for the future, the students of the All Assam Students Union (Aasu) and the movement's sympathisers are cautiously testing their ground.Silent diplomatic efforts are also on to bring the students and the Centre to the negotiating table. Talks had broken off on April 12. Two former chief justices of the Gauhati High Court, M.C. Pathak and Baharul Islam, and a former vice-chancellor of Gauhati University, M.M. Goswami, have been on a mediation mission. The terms set by the mediators for talks resumption - and to which the students have agreed - are the withdrawal of the repressive legal measures like the application of the Disturbed Areas Act, lifting of curfew at Narengi refinery, recall of troops from oil installations, release of arrested leaders, and rescindment of disciplinary action against government employees. If the Government agrees to these conditions, the students are willing to suspend their agitation and continue with only the oil blockade.Tension: The students' call to boycott government offices, both Centre and state, last fortnight drew a massive response. All India Radio, accused of partisan news coverage, has been under constant seige and is manned by a skeleton staff. There is a virtual boycott of the medium and Assam is probably the only state where the tinny transistorised music of Vividh Bharati does not assail the ears. Banking activity has also ground to a halt. The boycott programme is up to May 29.But the smiling women in the traditional dress of melkhar chadar mouthing slogans at the head of the demonstrations are barely able to hide a case of frayed nerves. Last fortnight, organised resistance to the movement within the state surfaced for the first time. When the Aasu threatened to enforce its own procedure for detection and deportation of foreigners, an organisation calling itself the All Assam Minority Students' Union (Aamsu) sprang up in Goalpara district adjoining Bangladesh with a call for a counter bandh in pockets of the district.With its launching, the situation has now taken a turn towards violence. On May 26, observed by Aamsu as 'Demand Day', an estimated 250,000 people participated in processions in Barpeta subdivision of Kamrup district alone. This resulted in clashes leading to police firing at several places. The death tally after the snowballing of the counter-agitation in the districts makes macabre reading: about two dozen persons have been killed in the latest spate of violence in Nowgong, Goalpara, Dibrugarh and Kamrup. Curfew has been clamped in Barpeta Road, Mukalmua, Bongaigaon, Bijni, Lengtishinga, South Salamara and Abhayapuri.Tinsukia and Howli are already under curfew.Communal Angle: Amidst fears of a communal conflagaration engulfing the state, officials moved swiftly - clamping curfews wherever tension was suspected and ensuring a massive police and army presence in the trouble spots. The movement's leaders spoke of being able to keep the agitation peaceful but officials fear that the situation may get out of hand.The anti-Assam bandh in West Bengal has further vitiated the atmosphere and there are undercurrents of tension between the two communities in the state. Movement leaders, however, disavow any anti-Bengali slant. The movement in which Assamese Muslims participate has also tried to avoid any communal colour. Said Abu Nasser lftekhar Hussain Bora, 25, Aasu executive member and general secretary of the Post Graduate Students Union: "How can there be a communal tinge? We are against all foreigners."Women demostsrataors in front of the Forest Department office in Gauhati: Conflict within the stateBut there are others waiting to spew communal venom. The Janata Yuva Morcha, front organisation of the Rashtriya Swyam-sewak Sangh, has published a pamphlet, "Islamic Bangladeshi infiltration and refugee problem in Assam." warning of Islamic designs on the state. Aasu members also speak of the Ananda Marg's Amra Bangla movement which struck terror in Tripura, instigating trouble in Assam.Aasu President Prafulia Mahanta and Acting General Secretary Bharat Narah alleged that some political parties and government officials representing foreign interests were trying to foment communal trouble. Though they did not identify the political parties the reference was obviously to the Congress (I) and the Marxists both of whom draw substantial support in the state from the immigrants.Volunteer Force: The situation continues to be tense. Many of the leaders are in hiding. others are in jail. Mahanta, the most wanted man in Assam today, like a scarlet pimpernel, continues to evade the police while keeping in touch with the organisation he heads.The latest acquisition in the Aasu armoury is its volunteer force. Says its convenor Joynath Sarma: "Every member will be a soldier of peace." It has already set up 5,000 branches all over the state. Sarma says the force will conduct training camps where its members will receive training in first aid and civil defence and participate in physical drill programmes "to build up courage and discipline". Its primary job will be to maintain communal harmony and safeguard the interests of the organisation. But "detection of foreigners and registering Indian citizens if the Government fails to do this will also be its responsibility."In recent days the Assam movement has shown signs of willingness to accommodate the Centre. Says Goswami, convenor of the Assam Gana Sangram Parishad: "We are insisting on 1951 as the base year for detection. We are open to discussion on deportation. This is a humanitarian gesture on our part to the problem of refugees."The Assam scene is now on view at two levels: talks with the Centre, and the counter-agitation within the state. And a development in either will affect the other. While Sarin's shuttle-diplomacy paves the way for reconciliation with New Delhi, the recent mob fury has severely set back the possibility of a return to peace in this beleaguered state.Published By: AtMigration Published On: Jan 24, 2014 00:00 IST--- ENDS ---

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With launching of AAMSU, Assam agitation takes a turn towards violence

Like the pre-monsoon weather in Assam, when drizzle and sunshine chase each other, hopes of an early settlement to the eight-month long agitation alternate with despair as the Governor's Principal Adviser, H.C. Sarin, airdashes up and down between Gauhati and New Delhi.

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