PM shocked at ULFA's brutality

By Staff
|
Google Oneindia News

Sadiya(Asom-Arunachal border), Jan 16: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was shocked to learn the brutality meted out by the ULFA mostly on the Hindi-speaking population on his visit Sadiya in the North Eastern most part the country today.

As the families of 13 Bihari victims, all working as labourers here, lined up in front of him, Dr Singh was shocked and tried to console the families who were yet to come out of the trauma.

The people were so terrified that they were unable to express their fear. Many of them have already packed their baggages to return to Bihar, while several others are not able to because of some financial constraints.

Amongst them, was the family of Dinesh Das, who was also killed in the massacre. His young widow and nine-month-old baby were given Rs three lakh by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi yesterday but was still in shock.

''I need my husband back'' she said feebly. She does not know what ULFA wants, neither wants to know what sovereignty means. Only she knows that her husband was everything for her and was the sole earning member in her family.

The Prime Minister talked to several such families and was moved by their pathetic condition. He assured them that Centre along with the state government would try hard to stop such happenings in future.

There are thousands of Hindi-speaking people in Sadiya who had been living here for decades working as paid labourers. Many of them had gathered to see the Prime Minister. For some the prime minister's visit was a kind of solace while some were still ruminating on the the motive behind being targeted by the ULFA. Natwar Mahato, a villager, was very skeptical about the visit.

According to him such 'high profile' visits made them 'sitting ducks'. '' The ULFA has also realised that the Centre was reactive only when Hindi-speaking people were targeted,'' he said.

The Army had already started its operation in the affected areas along with the state Police, but the people of the Naoholia were still spendind sleepless nights since the 'unfortunate night'.

'' We are not able to sleep properly, neither can we work. We are very scared,'' said a villager.

They also said they wanted the Army to be there permanently fearing ULFA attacks once again.

The Prime Minister then left for Sepon Sokolia, where a refugee camp had sheltered about 700 affected Bihari families, Next to the place is a sleepy town of Moran in Dibrugarh district, which is dotted with dozens of brick klin factories.

The ULFA also attacked these factories and killed four. Most of the alert Bihari workers had already started moving to safer areas apprehending troubles on the night of January six.

The Prime Minister mingled with the camp inmates and assured them that the government would not compromise while tackling the militants.

They victims have recieved Rs 3 lakh compensation from the state government and another three lakh was yet to come from the Centre and Bihar government.

The refugee camp would be withdrawn in a day or two as most have opted to go back but the district authorities are cautious so that such incidents are not repeated.

''We have controlled the situation for now but we can not be complacent. We have to remain alert,'' Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said.

UNI

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