Beaware of communal forces: Sonia in Assam
by Peter Alex

    Tezpur: Congress president Sonia Gandhi today advised the people of Assam to beaware of "communal and evil forces" attempting to influence and placate them with promises in the run-up to the May 2006 Assembly polls in the state. Addressing a public rally at Tezpur, Gandhi said: "As the forthcoming assembly polls are soon to be held in the state, so now people would have to be alert on the 'communal and evil forces' which are maximum held during that time. The elections will be 'secular' in the state." Commenting on the bad situation of the tea industry, Gandhi said we know that tea industry is falling down in the state, adding, "UPA Government would soon announce a package, to improve the bad condition of the tea industry.

   Of the agriculture-based industries, tea occupies an important place in Assam. In Assam, tea is grown both in the Brahmaputra and Barak plains. Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Sibsagar, Jorhat, Golaghat, Nagaon and Sonitpur are the districts where tea gardens are mostly found. Assam produces 51 percent of the tea produced in India and about one-sixth of the tea produced in the world. Tea industry has contributed substantially to the economy of Assam. About 17 percent of the workers of Assam are engaged in the tea industry. Lately, Assam's tea industry has been plagued by problems. The Assam Tea Tribes Students' Association (ATTSA) has sought a special package to revive sick tea gardens and an alternative to the Plantation Labour Act of 1951. It has also demanded the grant of a Rs 100 crore package for the development of education and healthcare facilities in the tea gardens. Even Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh had assured during his visit to Assam that he would look into the problems dogging the tea industry and recommend steps for the upliftment of the lives of tea workers. He had given the assurance to the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) delegates who met him on January 24, 2006. The Prime Minister had then apparently advised the delegation to discuss the matter of a tea package that the Centre has already declared, with the Union Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath. The Prime Minister had also asked the INTUC to constitute a five- member high power committee on issues pertaining to labour reforms.

   Sonia further expressed her deep regret over police firing on a mob in Kakopathar village in which reportedly some five to six people were killed. She said that the strict action would definitely be taken against security personnel who were involved in the incident. "I have talked to the personally with Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee and he has assured the strongest of action if any member of the security force is found to be involved", she said. Sonia went on to say that the Government would soon provide several other facilities in connection with the education in the state.

Curfew in Assam extended to four more areas

     Guwahati: Law enforcement authorities in Upper Assam have extended curfew to four more areas, including Kakopathar, even as the Army has launched a major operation to flush out ULFA militants in the area. On Friday, public protests against the death of a civilian in army custody turned violent as suspected militants reportedly opened fire, using protestors as a shield. At least nine civilians and one security force member died in the gun battle. A 15,000-strong mob set fire to Kakopathar police station and pelted stones at passing vehicles. The indefinite curfew has been clamped as the violence against the army and the local administration in the Assamese towns of Kakpothar, Penegeri and Makum continues unabated.

    Earlier, there were conflicting reports about the number of dead. Some reports said that three persons have died so far, while other reports claimed that the death toll is at least six. The reports have also said that at least 40 persons have been hurt in the mob-related violence, and added that infrastructure in these areas has been damaged, including the local post office, the railway platform and several vehicles. Officials of the Tinsukia District control room have confirmed the incidents of violence in the above three towns. The bodies of the dead are yet to be identified. The villagers are reportedly angry over the ongoing army atrocities. The custodial death of one person has aggravated the already tense situation. Official sources have said that over 20,000 people have laid a seige to some government installations. They National Highway 52 has also been blocked for the past four days. According to an Assam Medical College source, 17 injured people were shifted to Dibrugarh while another 20 were shifted to Tinsukia, many of whom received bullet injuries.

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