‘Unmasking’ the men who vandalized Guwahati during the agitation against CAA

‘Curbs like ban on Internet to be lifted within a short span’

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: ‘Unmasking’ the men who vandalized in Guwahati during the agitation against the CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act), State Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has said that some elements from lower Assam districts like Barpeta, Nalbari and Goalpara, who have nothing to do with the agitation, broke and burnt public property in Guwahati. On the peaceful and democratic agitation against the CAA, the Minister said that the Centre has already started a process to reach out to the leaders of the agitation and address their woes. He has also said that the law-and-order situation is being constantly reviewed to lift curbs like the Internet ban and the closure of schools and colleges in the State within a short span.

Addressing a press meet here on Monday, the Minister said, “Many people involved in the vandalism in front of Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra, Janata Bhawan and Hatigaon in the city have been identified. Some of them have already been arrested. They’re mostly from the lower Assam districts of Barpeta, Nalbari and Goalpara. They have nothing to do with the agitation against the CAA. Now our thrust is on unmasking the force behind them. Maybe, the government is going to institute a high-level inquiry to ascertain who the unseen elements are.”

Throwing some light on what he meant by the ‘unseen elements’, Sarma said, “The vandalism in front of Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra was led by a person named Zuber Alam, an active member of a political party. He’s yet to be arrested. Others arrested in that connection are Alakesh Das, Karimuddin Ahmed, Wahim Ahemed, Nawab Mobi-ul Ghani, Jahangir Ahmed, Noorbox Ali, Sahi Khan and the likes of them. It has been crystal clear that the local people are not involved in the vandalism in Guwahati. Till now, the police have registered as many as 136 cases on their own in the State in connection with vandalism during the agitation. As many as 190 people have already been arrested, and more arrests are on the cards.”

Commenting on the agitation against the CAA, Sarma said, “We see no reason to control those resorting to peaceful and democratic agitation against the CAA. It’s their democratic right. We’re trying to address their woes through dialogues. Definitely, the Government of India is trying to reach out to them.”

Commenting on a section of rumour mongers on the CAA, the Minister said, “A section of people has been spreading falsehood on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, without even going through it. We need to monitor as to why they’re instigating the common people on the Act. Taking the current situation in the State into consideration, I appeal to all not to spread anything which the Act doesn’t have. Now our thrust is on filtering out the ‘unseen elements’ from the peaceful and democratic agitation. Some are saying that around 1.50 crore Bangladeshi Hindus are going to acquire Indian citizenship with the CAB becoming an Act. However, according to government assessment, not more than 5.42 lakh Hindu Bangladeshis are going to get Indian citizenship through this Act. I think we need to have a discussion on the varying statistics of Hindu Bangladeshis to be benefited by the Act. The Centre is going to negotiate it with the stakeholders in the State so as to dissipate fears on the Act.”

On the curbs that have been enforced in the State, Sarma said that the curfew relaxation period is being increased slowly with normalcy returning to the State. “We’ve already lifted curfew during the day. Now the curfew is from 9 pm to 6 am. Lifting the ban on the Internet and reopening of schools and colleges will follow suit,” he said.

The Minister added that 10 of the 27 injured during the agitation have been undergoing treatment at the GMCH (Gauhati Medical College and Hospital). While four of them succumbed to their injuries, 13 have been discharged from the hospital. He also said that the Government is yet to take any decision on compensation to the next of kin of the four killed during the agitation.

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