The not so “communal” clashes in Assam
For the last few days, I have been following the twists and turns of the “clashes” in Assam with great interest…Not least because I have a very strong personal bond with the region but also because I know the region a little better than many other states in India…
As is the case in most situations, initial reports about the killings were sketchy and appeared to be more conjecture than facts…E.g.
…The communally tense twin districts of Assam, Udalguri and Darrang, witnessed yet another day of rioting as the death toll climbed to nine on Saturday. Over 50 people have been injured in clashes between Bodo tribals and Muslims that broke out on Friday…”
Udalguri police said reports about hoisting of a Pakistani national flag at Sonaripara caused fresh turmoil. [ link ]
A report from HT suggested another angle to the attacks:
The immediate provocation for the clashes was the attack on a group of Village Defence Party (VDP) volunteers early Friday by armed miscreants.
“The VDP members belonged to the tribal Bodo community and were attacked by members of a religious minority group and that sparked off the clashes,” the official said.
Meanwhile the death toll continued to climb…but the matter appeared to have dropped off the radar of mainstream media…Latest reports suggest that the death toll is already higher than the number of people killed in attacks in Orissa (49 according to this report)…but I have not yet seen any detailed report on the attacks and what triggered them…
Could it be because the reality appears to be slightly more complicated here?
According to this report, the clashes are not really between “tribals” and Muslims or Hindus and Muslims or even Hindus and Christians but between Christians and Muslims:
“…Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the root cause was a programme of “ethnic cleansing” implemented by the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), a rebel group fighting for an independent tribal homeland.
“They want to drive out all non-Bodos from the area… it’s a systematic pogrom,” Sarma told IANS.
The NDFB, which is a largely Christian outfit, entered into a ceasefire with the Indian government in 2005, but has never renounced its independence struggle.”
Many media reports though have conveniently forgot to mention the word “Christian” and are instead referring to “Ethnic Bodos” or “Bodo Tribals” or a lame “clashes between two communities”…
I will be watching this with interest…and sadness in my heart…
Who is there to cry for the innocents that have been murdered and the lives that have been displaced (1.1 lakh according to official reports)?…or is this something that happened so far away…in such a distant land that all this is merely statistics…and something to be read and forgotten with your next cup of tea?
Related Posts:
“India Breaking” - Read this and Weep
Some startling stats from the eastern front…
Strage part is, none of the english TV channels had any new about this Assam violence. NDTV just put one simple marquee that ‘violence in assam’. No discussion, no news reporting, no big fights. Even Rediff has no single news item about the assam. What happened to burqa datts and sardesais? Are they deaf when it comes to christians and muslims?
Comment by Nanda | October 7, 2008
Rightly said..Sadly,we have no other to move ahead,except the way through which media guides us..Only few people bother to read or know beyond the usual..
Media and politicians want to keep hindu-muslim so called conflict alive,so that they can benefit from it..Laymen,both hindu ans muslim ,doesn’t understand this and fight over petty issues,as if enemies to each other..While both of the, bang head to each other and die out,others standing by the side and watching it reap benefits and move ahead n life while the rest are plunged into darkness for ever..Indeed sad..
Comment by Nimmy | October 7, 2008
Nanda and Nimmy: Yes, the media does not come out of all this smelling roses…quite the contrary…
I am just about to post another link to how the whole mainstream reporting in India is fast loosing credibility….
and yes, it is very sad indeed.
Comment by B Shantanu | October 7, 2008
Dear Shantanu,
I am sure many of your readers are wondering where Islamic terrorism and all these Jihadi attacks and riots in India are leading to …
Here is the big picture:
http://www.bengalgenocide.com/mughalistan.php
There is a method to their madness. We need to make as many Indians aware of this Mughalistan threat before the next elections !
Comment by Bengal Voice | October 7, 2008
This is the new manifestation of a very old problem - the infiltration of Bangladeshis into Assam. The AASU were the first to take up the banner on this issue, and now it is the Bodos. While many of the newspapers reporting on this issue say “migrant muslims”, I believe that the real name should be “illegal bangladeshi immigrants”.
Thanks to Bengal Voice for highlighting the issues involved.
Comment by Patriot | October 8, 2008
@ Bengal Voice: Thanks for the link. I will have a look…
@ Patriot: You are right. In this case, the word “migrant” hides the “illegal” bit…
Meanwhile the death toll continues to climb…now at 54.
Comment by B Shantanu | October 9, 2008
Hi Shantanu,
A special request/suggestion which I hope you will consider…
Can you please add the following two links to your website:
1) “Bengal Voice”: http://bengalvoice.blogspot.com
2) “Mughalistan”: http://www.bengalgenocide.com/mughalistan.php
We really need to continue the focus on Bengal/Assam since they are a “Kashmir” in the making.
Also, instead of the current “Voice of Dharma” link (that is drab/boring) that you have linked, I would recommend that you link directly to the “Online Books” page:
3) http://www.voiceofdharma.com/books.html
Right now, the website is down. But once its up, you will see why.
Best wishes,
BV
Comment by Bengal Voice | October 14, 2008
@ BV: Thanks for the suggestion re. VoiceofDharma…I will have a look at both the other links today.
Comment by B Shantanu | October 14, 2008
I fully support Bengal Voice in his endeavours ….. the way the blood-traitors, the communists, have changed the demographic profile of 24 paraganas in Bengal, among other districts is frightening.
And, this has been done without much mention in the mainstream media - only Arun Shourie has been crying himself hoarse about the changing demographics of Bengal.
In Assam, what is frightening is that the illegal bangladeshis have been marrying into indian muslim communities and in the recent clashes, the entire muslim community (Indian and bangladeshi) together burned down bodo villages and ethnically cleansed them. And, they hoisted a Pakistani flag. And, the (Congress) CM blames the bodos for the attacks when all the regional papers blame the muslims. And, then the muslim community wonders why they are alienated?
Bengal and Assam are a much bigger issue than the stupid ones raked up in Orissa and Karnataka …. but I guess the Bajrang Dal is too scared to take on the commies of the bangladeshis.
And, I do not see any easy solution to this problem, short of making Bangladesh a “dominion” of India, like Bhutan.
I will post some links on this topic shortly.
Comment by Patriot | October 15, 2008
Please check this report
Saurav Basu has put up some good points/references!
Comment by Hemant | October 16, 2008
BV: I have added both the links…
***
Patriot: Look forward to getting other links from you
***
Hemant: Thanks for tipping me off about the article…I may carry extracts on another post.
Comment by B Shantanu | October 16, 2008
This was not communal violence, it was massacre of ethnic Bodo Tribal people (mostly Hindus) by the illegal Bangladeshi muslims. Local news of Asom and NE tells the true story.
Congress-UPA fabricated a story telling Bodos ethnically cleansing muslims, only to appease the illegal Bangladeshi muslims, as they are their vote-banks. Infamous Amar Singh of SP (Congress ally) gone far declaring over 100 muslims were killed, which is a 100% blatent lie.
MM Singh must answer to the nation, whether he is PM only for muslims and chrsitians, or he represent Hindus and other communities too? From his and his govt actions over last 4 plus years, it is clear Mr Singh is PM only for muslims and chrsitians and their protection and promotion with special packages and treatments. Yes, he too care hindus, by persecuting and oppressing them. Even denigrating Hindus faith, declaring in the highest court, Supreme Court, Ram does not exists and Ramayan is a fiction, Ram is not integral to Hinduism.
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Name the Culprits
Editorial
The Sentinel, Guwahati, Asom
The 146-member National Integration Council (NIC) met in New Delhi on Monday after three years. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh rightly used this forum to lash out against the “mindless violence” in the country and to warn the perpetrators of such violence that it would be met with the “requisite amount of force” tempered with justice.
While all this is well-intended, there are at least two things wrong with the way such happenings are addressed by the government of the day. One is that the government and its organizations like the NIC are blatantly partial when they have to deal with the perpetrators of such violence. The other is that violence against the Hindus does not count. Take Monday’s National Integration Council’s session, for instance. What took the centre stage was the anti-Christian violence in Orissa and Karnataka. And while there was condemnation of the violence in Asom as well, there was no mention of the thousands of Bodos whose homes had been burnt down and who were in refugee camps in their own land. They too were the victims of the violence even though some of them had been provoked to violence because illegal migrants from Bangladesh had dispossessed them of their lands. As in the case of Gujarat, the instigators of violence are conveniently forgotten when it suits the purpose of the ‘secularists’.
There was no dearth of members who demanded stringent action against outfits like Bajrang Dal and the Viswa Hindu Parishad (VHP). But no one seemed to be demanding stringent action against the SIMI and the Indian Mujahideen who had been shaking up the whole country with serial blasts in big cities like Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Bangluru and Delhi. All 20 arrested in connection with these blasts and the plan to blast 20 bombs in Nehru Place in New Delhi were Muslims from just one place – Azamgarh district in Uttar Pradesh.
Why did such diabolic terrorists outfits merit no mention at all in the National Integration Council meeting? Did not their impact, the vast area covered and number of casualties make them the most ominous group stoking violence in the country? One can hazard a well-considered inference that confirms a pattern in such condemnations: there will be condemnations by the Congress and the ‘secularists’ of India only when the victims of violence are not Hindus. And that explains how all the serial blasts masterminded by the SIMI and the Indian Mujahideen in several Indian cities did not deserve to the condemned. You see, in this perverse democracy of ours the majority does not count. So when the majority of the victims of violence are Hindus, the NIC does not deem it necessary to condemn the perpetrators of violence even though the recent serial blasts took place after the last meeting of the NIC and before the latest one on held on Monday. This is in consonance with the pattern that we saw in Gujarat. It is perfectly all right for three coaches full of Hindus to be roasted alive. That is not violence. Aren’t there too many Hindus in the country, after all?
So there is condemnation of the violence in Asom, but no mention of those who had to abandon their hearths and homes and take shelter in refugee camps. Who set houses on fire? “Miscreants” you know. These miscreants do not seem to have identities because their identities are embarrassing for a government that can survive only on illegal Bangladeshi votes. The must pretend that they are Indian nationals when they are not. It is for the same reason that the identities of the Harkat-ul Jihadi Islami (HuJI) activists who were shot down a few weeks ago by the Army in Dhubri district have not been announced yet even though there is not doubt about their being Bangladeshis. Likewise, one may well ask: who hoisted all those Pakistan flags? Why do we not know yet? And why is there no action against these ’miscreants’?
In the Udalguri and Mangaldoi districts where the Bodos had to flee to refugee camps, there was concern only about the so-called minorities. There was no concern about the homeless Bodos, most of whom were Hindus. But at least the Prime Minister and the Home Minister had a responsibility to name all the perpetrators of violence – not just the Bajrang Dal and the VHP, but also the SIMI, the Indian Mujahideen and the HuJI. We certainly do not want a repetition of the 1984 riots of Delhi just because the Congress will not name the perpetrators of the violence against the Sikhs.
http://www.sentinelassam.com/
16 octobver 2008
Comment by Bharat | October 17, 2008
i believe that Shantanu has brought out the farce that is the Indian media in his post that “a joke that is the indian media”….news channels are more bothered about why ‘rekha wears sindoor on her head’ rather than what the chinese are doing in arunachal pradesh or what the SIMI is doing in the rest of India.
the less we speak of the ilk of barkha dutt / arnab goswami and their ilk…the better…they would be devoting hours of primetime on showing the reaction of muslim’s feeling about being “branded”…. but will NEVER take the interview of the Kondh tribals or the Hindu Bodos about how they feel about their respective problems…..
being the voice of the minority is correct and necessary for the media to do but there is much more than a ‘very fine line’ between being absolutely objective and overtly partial.
bukhari talks about a “MUSLIM” political party(remeber: MUSLIM LEAGUE OF THE 40’s and their day of direct action, anyone…)…..protesters in INDIAN Kashmir burn the Tricolour down …..Mehbooba Mufti talks about dual currency and independence….and the media has time, more specifically “primetime” to cover each and every such dastardly act/ statement but they have no time to cover the real reasons for a “majority backlash”…..and when in response the RSS gives a slogan “jo hindu hit ki baat karega…wohi desh par raaj karega” that is termed as communal and derided…..
i do not agree with the assumption of the “secular” that in India, one has be apologetic about being a member of the majority community…..equal respect for law is for the “Secular state” to demand and for the ‘ideal ctizen’ to obey…be he / she belong to any community caste and creed….
Comment by abhiroop mukherjee | October 17, 2008
Where are all the brave people of the Bajrang Dal now? Here is a clear opportunity where they can be of use to the motherland by clearing Assam of its infiltrators, yet they seem to be missing in action? Join hands with the AASU and the Bodos to throw the infiltrators out of the country.
Nah, they are only capable of beating up innocent and weak people, buring up their houses, raping their women ….. how can they actually take on people who are prepared to face them blow for blow. Bah, cowards!
Comment by Patriot | October 18, 2008
FYI.
Ensure security for indigenous people
By our Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Oct 16: Leaders of the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) and the All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU) today announced a statewide agitation on October 18 demanding of the Government to ensure security of the indigenous people of the State.
Talking to newsmen in Guwahati today, AASU president Sankar Prasad Rai, general secretary Tapan Kumar Gogoi and advisor Samujjal Bhattacharya, and ABSU president Rwngwra Narzary and general secretary Gautam Mushahary said that the two students’ bodies would stage a silent sit-in demonstration in front of the Raj Bhavan on October 18 in Guwahati, while district AASU and ABSU committees would sent the demand for security of indigenous people of the State to the Prime Minister through the district administrations. “If the Government fails to provide security to the indigenous people of the State even after October 18, we will start a vigorous agitation,” leaders of the two students’ bodies said, and added: “It is a matter of shame that the indigenous people of the State have to die at the hands of Islamic fundamentalists and anti-India forces.”
Citing public allegations, Samujjal Bhattacharya said that three Garos —Petrus Marak, Naren Marak and Francis Sangma — had been killed by miscreants on October 3 in front the SP Indadul Hussain in Darrang district. “The bodies of the three were sent to Guwahati, but their family members have not got the bodies yet.” He further alleged that the local people who are at the refugee camps have to face inhumane suffering as the government has not been providing them relief materials, medicines and other essential materials.
The student leaders showed the pathetic plight of a refugee camp where the indigenous people of the State have been staying.
ABSU president Narzary said: “The Pakistani flag was hoisted in a number of places and slogans like Mughal-Pathan zindabad and Pakistan zindabad. I dare the Chief Minister to order a CBI probe into the matter soon.”
To buttress his claim that the recent violence was not between Bodos and Muslims only, ABSU general secretary Mushahary said: “The number of inmates in 17 of the 50 refugee camps of the Stare are 36,321 Bodos, 9,309 Asomiyas, 11,729 Bengalis, 620 Nepalis, 4,975 Garos, 505 Biharis, 3,630 Adivasis, 48 Hasongs and 200 Harijans.”
http://www.sentinelassam.com/
17 oct 2008
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Activists of the Hindu-Bodo Sanskritik Suraksha Parishad taking out a protest rally in Guwahati on Friday demanding for punishment for those who hoisted the Pakistani flag in Ethnic clash areas of Darrang and Udalguri districts. (Sentinel, 18 Oct 2008)
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BJP demands PR in State
Staff reporter
GUWAHATI, Oct 17 – The BJP parliamentary delegation led by its national vice-president Jual Oram that visited the violence-affected Darrang and Udalguri districts on Thursday has called for imposition of President’s Rule in the State under Article 356 of the Constitution. Describing the situation as a fit case for dissolving the State Government, the delegation has held the Government fully responsible for the chain of events that occurred since August 14 leading to the violent clashes between the ethnic population and the immigrants.
Addressing media persons on Friday, Oram said that a CBI inquiry into the incident, as sought by the Government, is not appropriate for communal violence and demanded an investigation into the matter by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court.
Expressing shock at the way the State Government has been dealing with the grave matter, Oram said that foreign forces were trying to destabilize the State and creating tension, but the State Government instead of taking any action was giving a free hand to the immigrants backed by these forces keeping in mind its vote bank politics.
“The violence affected people are now afraid of the immigrants and the Government,” said Oram regretting that the Government has till now not made public whether any action would be taken against the SP of Darrang district, who remained a silent spectator. Oram relating his experience said that the inmates of the relief camps were baying for the blood of the SP and that the inmates had also formed the opinion that the government machinery was pro immigrants.
Oram said that it was unfortunate the State Government was downplaying the anti India campaign launched by the immigrants in the State and warned that vote bank politics would cost dear to the indigenous people.
“The anti-India forces were behind the violence in Darrang and Udalguri, but the State Government is ignoring such a grave issue,” said Oram, adding that one of the reasons of the violence was the ulterior motive of the immigrant Bangladeshis to grab land of the indigenous people.
Oram demanded to know whether the Government has registered the case of killing of Jadu Swargiary, the headman of Jakuapara village, his brother Lakhan and 94 year old mother Bedari by Dilwar Dewani, Rustam Ali, Karim Ali, Ustad Ali and a few others on eye witness account.
Oram further demanded of the Government to publish the names of the persons killed in group clashes and those killed by security forces compelled by circumstances, to make public the estimates of loss of property and how many cases have been registered and in which police stations.
“Only 12 cases have been registered by Dalgaon police station and 6 persons arrested so far,” said Oram.
It may be mentioned here that the parliamentary delegation has also demanded of the Government to declare whether it has a compensation policy for the violence affected people.
http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/details.asp?id=oct1808/at08
Comment by Bharat | October 18, 2008
When there is a real need for the Bajrang Dal - where are they?
HA! And, there are some people who think that they protect hindu interests.
Comment by Patriot | October 19, 2008
And, why is the BJP going about demanding president’s rule - I seem to remember that they did nothing about the situation in Asom when they were in power at the centre and in the state in partnership with AGP.
They are both pathetic - the congress and the BJP. But, from a time perspective, the congress is far more to blame for the crisis in Asom. I do hope that the people of the state never forget the damage that the congress have done to it.
Comment by Patriot | October 19, 2008
Just like Assam, the media seems to have ignored temple destruction being carried out in Goa.
I happen to have few relatives in Goa and came to know from them that tomorrow is ‘bandh’ called protesting the various incidents of temple destruction in Goa taking place for last few days.
Links:
Goa Temple destruction : AGMSS calls for ‘Goa Bandh’ on 20th
http://www.hindujagruti.org/news/5627.html
Series of idol desecration incidents going on in Goa
http://www.hindujagruti.org/news/5617.html
Sree Saraswati’s idol desecrated at Farmagudi, Goa
http://www.hindujagruti.org/news/5523.html
more…
http://www.hindujagruti.org/news/category/save-temples/goa-temples-destruction
Really feel sad reading about the incidents and even more as media and politicians seem to have totally ‘forgotten’ majority people’s faith and sentiments and are busy in minority appeasement!
Comment by Hemant | October 19, 2008
Thanks Hemant… I will have a look at the links.
Comment by B Shantanu | October 20, 2008
Dear Patriot, thank you for your support for our work in Bengal.
Please don’t misunderstand me when I say this….I don’t mean this in an arrogant way, but only to provoke some thinking in all Hindus.
1) Regarding the comment about Bajrang Dal, we do know that it does not have much of a presence in Assam or N.E.India.
So, can you please help the Dal start a unit in Assam to fight the Bangla Muslims?
2) Secondly, what are Hindu organisations composed of? People like you and me.
Only when you and I join their ranks can they accomplish the goals that you have set for them.
If any Hindu organization has not accomplished something you would like them to do, then it is because they do not have enough resources to do it. Can you help?
3) Please think about this in an introspective manner..…. I am not trying to taunt you or belittle you.
It is easy for us to ask others (read: any Hindu organization) to fight our battles (in Assam).
If I may ask you politely, what is stopping YOU from rushing to Assam to fight Bangla Muslim mobs?
Is fighting Bangla Muslim mobs only the responsibility of the Bajrang Dal? Not of other Patriotic Indians?
The Bajrang Dal is composed of average Hindu men who study or earn their livelihoods and simultaneously, also try to do their best to fight anti-Hindu forces. Since Bajrang Dal volunteers are supposed to drop their 9-5 jobs and rush to other parts of India to fight terror, can you please donate some of your time and/or money to make this happen on the ground?
4) Its no use being a “keyboard ninja”. Please help Hindu organizations on the ground.
Remember, my friend …
YOU must be the change you wish to see in the world.
Unless YOU do it, nothing will change. Otherwise, its just wishful thinking.
If you would like to help, please feel free to contact me. Shantanu has my email address.
Comment by Bengal Voice | October 24, 2008