Fear, tension, cold trembles Upper Asom

Tinsukia (Asom), Jan 8: Fear of attacks from ULFA and reprisals from Hindi speaking community, amidst continuous movement of armed forces besides biting cold have made Tinsukia and Dibrugarh of Asom, the Ground Zero of terror zone.

The authorities of both the districts, busy with the counter insurgency operations, are fearing the worst, a communal flare up.

"It is fact that some people are trying to divide the society using communal line. In fact a SMS campaign is on in Tinsukia where the Hindi Speaking population is very high. We are on alert," said Asom Government Spokesman Dr Himanta Biswa Sharma, who is also the Health Minister of the State.

With all the 66 dead in the last one three belonging to Hindi speaking community, there is an open division visible amongst the Assamese speaking and non-Assamese speaking people, with latter feeling that former was not doing enough to help them in this hour of crisis.

Realising the gravity, the Asom Sahitya Sabha, the apex literary organisation has moved in quickly to bridge the gape. "This is the most cowardly to target innocent labourers, who have come here to earn money," said Sabha President Kanak Sen Deka.

There is a shrill campaign is going on reminding people through SMS that Delhi is shaken only when Hindi speaking people are targetted. "Sonia Gandhi has not found time to come Asom when there were Karbi Anglong violence, but she rushed to Malegaon and Nitihari. Are we children of lesser gods," questioned former Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta.

Already thousands of Biharis, who have been blocking the National Highway near Doomodoma, demanded that Asom Police should be withdrawn and Army should be given the responsibility. "We have no faith on the Asom Police. They are siding with the ULFA. We want army," said Brajendra Singh, an important leader of Tinsukia, which has been repeatedly sending Hindi speaking leaders as their MLA to Asom Assembly.

With a sharp division taking place in upper Asom in the communal line, the authorities are not taking any chance especially as large number of VVIPs from mainland India are coming in.

"India is for Indians and Asom is also for Indians," said Union Home Minister Sri Prakash Jaiswal, when he visited Tinsukia yesterday, indicating that Centre would not tolerate further attacks. The presence of a three member Bihar delegation as well as visit of Railway minister Laloo Prasad Yadav and BJP Rajnath Singh further divided the society in the communal line.

"This was exactly the design of the ULFA. They could now drill into the minds of Assamese people that their lives were not important and Delhi was bothered about Hindi speaking people only.

But who is listening," said a very senior top police official, frustrated over political heavyweights rushing to the area, disturbing the actual policing.

Sensing danger of creating a much deep rooted rift while playing into the hands of the ULFA, Asom Government today appealed the VIPs to delay their visit so that situation could be tackled without any hindrance. "It is our appeal," said the Health Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sharma.

Almost both the districts have come to standstill as the roads are getting deserted immediately after dusk with most staying indoors. "Only in the early nineties during the Operation Bajrang, the situation was so horrifying," said Prasanta Duwara, a professor of Doomodoma.

UNI