PM should ensure rehabilitation of people in Assam: Advani

New Delhi, Aug 15: Flagging concerns of people rendered homeless in violence-hit Assam, BJP leader

today urged Prime Minister

to ensure their rehabilitation so that they do not meet the same fate as Kashmiri Pandits who could not go back.

"I express their concerns today and I expect the Prime Minister, who represents Assam in Parliament, that he should be most concerned about the rehabilitation of Indians rendered homeless in Assam and make efforts in this regard," he told reporters here after hoisting the national flag at his residence on the occasion of Independence Day.

Advani hoped the plight of those rendered homeless in Assam due to ethnic violence would not be the same as that of lakhs of people from Kashmir who had fled their home state after violence and could never return despite talk of their rehabilitation.

"In the history of India, lakhs of people from Kashmir have been rendered homeless due to violence and they had fled Kashmir to other parts of the country and could never return back even though it has been stated many times that all those who left their homes will be rehabilitated.

"In Kokrajhar of Assam, people who were forced to leave their homes after their houses were burnt down are today fearing if their position will also be the same. Today they are living in camps and they wonder whether they will ever be able to go back or not," he said.

Advani said the violent attacks on tribals in Assam should be seen as an attack against all Indians. He also condemned the violence against people from the north east in other parts of the country in the wake of ethnic violence in Assam.

PTI