Lalu lashes out at Cong govt in Assam

Sarnath, Varanasi, Aug 25 (UNI) Lashing out at the Congress government in Assam for failing to prevent attacks on Hindi speaking population by separatist groups, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad today said ''such acts will endanger the integrity of the nation.'' The killing of Hindi-speaking population by ULFA-KLNLF and the subsequent flight of this minority population from the North Eastern state is of grave concern. The Assam government has not acted in right earnest to prevent such attacks on the Hindi-speaking people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, who have been residing in the state for the last 200 years, Mr Prasad said while interacting with mediapersons here.

The former Bihar chief minister is here to attend the 6th national convention of the RJD which started near the Buddhist pilgrimage of Sarnath here today.

''Assam government's failure in preventing attacks on its Hindi speaking population could have far reaching implications for the integrity of the country. I have talked to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil and conveyed my strong resentment on the entire episode, Mr Prasad maintained.

''I am sure the Assam government will work proactively for the safety of people who have migrated from Hindi-speaking states and are of immense importance to the prosperity of the North Eastern state.'' Reiterating his resolve to fight for the creation of separate state of Purvanchal from Eastern UP, Mr Prasad said ''creation of Purvanchal was the only way to develop an underdeveloped UP.'' ''Be it the present Mayawati government in UP or former chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, they will have to favour creation of Purvanchal for the proper administrative, economic and social development of Eastern UP which has remained on the lowest rung of the development ladder of the state,'' he maintained.

The RJD convention will unanimously pass a resolution tomorrow for the creation of Purvanchal whose capital will be Varanasi. ''We (RJD) may not have the sangathan (organisation), but have the consumers (supporters) in this part of UP to help us wage a battle for Purvanchal,'' he added.

Asked why he was advocating a separate state out of Eastern UP, when he had in the past vehemently protested the bifurcation of Bihar to create Jharkhand, Mr Prasad said ''it is true I once said Jharkhand will only be formed on my corpse, but you all know I did a political somersault later, only for the tribal people who now feel only RJD can give a stable government in Jharkhand.'' UNI