Rajnath reviews security situation in Assam

Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday reviewed the security situation in Assam along with Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and top officials of central and state governments.

During the hour-long meeting, he was briefed about the steps taken to check violence perpetrated by the insurgents, ongoing process of preparing the National Register of Citizens (NRC), security along the Indo-Bangladesh border, besides other. Singh directed that action should be taken against those who continue to indulge in violence, official sources said. The Minister expressed hope that the work on NRC would be completed at the earliest without anomalies.

Later, an Assam government statement said the Chief Minister requested the Home Minister to hold tripartite talks at the political level with various organisations on their demands.

These would include the leaders of the six ethnic communities demanding ST status viz., Koch Rajbongshi, Tai Ahom, Moran, Mottock, Chutiya and Adivasi-Tea garden communities; the ABSU, PJACBM, NDFB(P), NDFB (RD) regarding Bodoland issues; ANCC regarding issues of Adivasis in Assam; AKRSU (H) and AKRSU (P) regarding Koch Rajbhongshi issues and with AASU regarding Assam Accord implementation.

The Home Minister agreed to hold talks early and said that the dates for the meetings would be communicated soon, the statement said.

The Chief Minister apprised the Union Home Minister about concerns regarding the NRC updation exercise relating to modalities, timeframe and fund flow. The Registrar General of India (RGI) has agreed to complete the process in a time-bound manner subject to the directions of the Supreme Court. The Chief Minister assured of the full commitment of the State government to support the RGI in the NRC updation process.

The RGI was requested to seek legal opinion on admissibility of the documents prescribed for NRC updation in the light of the Gauhati High Court judgment pertaining to one of the documents i.e., GP President certificate. With regard to implementation of the Assam Accord, the CM urged Singh to give appropriate instructions to complete the Indo-Bangladesh border fencing, including the riverine areas and also install a new fencing with modern design.