Political Killings in Assam continues

Killing of CPI leader: Opposition creates ruckus
In protest against Speaker Tanka Bahadur Rai keeping his ruling reserved on the adjournment motion that sought a detailed discussion on the killing of CPI leader Manoj Deka and failure on the part of the State Government to provide security to the common people

House session begins on stormy note
By A Staff Reporter GUWAHATI, July 14 – The Monsoon Session of the Assam Legislative Assembly started today on a stormy note with the Opposition members strongly protesting the Speaker’s decision to keep his ruling reserved on an adjournment motion moved by them on the law-and-order situation, particularly on the killing of CPI leader Monoj Deka in Morigaon. The Opposition members also raised slogans demanding that “political killings” should be stopped but the Speaker went ahead with the listed proceedings amidst the din. The Opposition members later staged a walkout.Meanwhile, Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain announced the Government’s decision to institute a judicial probe into the killing of Monoj Deka and assured that the Government is ready to request the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court to institute a probe by a sitting Judge of the Court of the Opposition demands the same.Moving the Adjournment Motion, Leader of the Opposition, Chandra Mohan Patowary alleged that the Government totally failed to protect the life and property of the people of the State and citing a report of the Ministry of Home Affairs, he pointed out that the number of civilians killed in Assam has gone up. He said that the killing of CPI leader Monoj Deka was a political murder and the House should discuss the incident thoroughly. He also pointed out that it was not an isolated incident as former Education Minister Ripun Bora was arrested on charges of attempting to bribe a CBI officer in connection with the murder of Daniel Topno. Even the BPF, the alliance partner of the Congress, has raised the issue of deterioration of law and order in the BTC area, he added.Patowary said that the Government should expedite the peace talks with the militant groups, which have already signed cease-fire agreements to express their willingness to solve the problems through talks. Referring to unilateral ceasefire by A and C companies of the 28 battalion of the ULFA, he said that the opposition parties were in favour of restoration of peace in Assam, but talks with only one faction of the ULFA would not solve the problem and the Government should try to bring the entire outfit to the negotiating table.Mission Ranjan Das (BJP), supporting the Motion, said that there should be a probe into the killing of Monoj Deka by a sitting Judge of the Gauhati High Court. He alleged that political killings are going on in the state and innocents are being killed in the name of encounters.Drupad Borgohain (CPI) expressed the view that Deka might be a victim of a political conspiracy. Deka was killed by the PSO of the officer in-charge of Morigaon police station and till date, the concerned officer has not been arrested. Earlier also political leaders were killed by militants but for the first time, a political leader was killed by the police, he pointed out and demanded a judicial probe into the incident. He also expressed doubts that someone from the ruling party might be involved in the conspiracy to kill the CPI leader.Dr Aditya Langthasa (AUDF) said that political murders posed a grave threat to democracy in Assam. Uddhab Barman (CPM), supporting the motion, asked as to how the police got the courage to kill an innocent person.In response, Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain, who was replying on behalf of the Home Department, said that the Government has instituted a judicial probe by retired Judge PC Phukan into the incident. He assured that if the Opposition parties wanted, the Government is ready to write to the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court to engage a sitting Judge to probe into the killing of the CPI leader. He said that the OC of Morigaon police station Kamal Bora has been suspended and his PSO Rafiqul Islam has been arrested.Hussain said that the law-and-order situation in the state improved and asserted that the number of civilians killed during the tenure of the Congress Government was less than the number during the AGP regime.After hearing both sides, the Speaker Tanka Bahadur Rai kept his ruling on the Adjournment motion reserved. However, the opposition members strongly protested the Speaker’s ruling and rushed to the well of the House shouting slogans. The opposition members also started thumping the desk of the Speaker and shouted slogans demanding that the political murders should be stopped. But the Speaker allowed the listed proceedings to continue amidst the din and the opposition members walked out of the House only when the Government placed the supplementary demands for the current financial year in the House.Meanwhile, the opposition members also boycotted the meeting of the Business Advisory Committee today. source: assam tribune