Army may take over counter-insurgency ops in Assam

GUWAHATI: Army is likely to completely take over counter-insurgency responsibilities in the state to enable Assam police and other security forces focus solely on maintaining law and order when the draft National Register of Citizens (NRC), which is an updated version of the 1951 register containing names of Indian citizens living in the state, is published by this year-end.

The Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, Sailesh, under whom the NRC is being updated with supervision of the Supreme Court and MHA joint secretary (North East) Satyendra Garg arrived here on Thursday for a ground assessment of the situation following reports of certain organisations and few political parties attempting to create fear among the minority people that if their names are not included they will be declared as illegal migrants and sent to Bangladesh.

"Several quarters with a vested interest to stall the updating process but the government of India is determined to get the register published without any hiccups. Both Prime Minister and home minister are serious about the updating process," a source said.

The state's operational group, which comprises of the Army, Assam police, CRPF and BSF in a meeting here discussed the implications of the publications of the NRC terming it as "an emerging issue of importance."

The meeting was chaired by GOC of 4th Corps, Lt Gen AS Bedi, with DGP Assam in attendance along with senior functionaries of state government, police, and representative of BSF, CRPF.

"It has been proposed that the Army completely take over the counter-insurgency responsibility so that the other security agencies and Assam police personnel can be used in maintaining law and order. The final decision is yet to be taken," the source said.

Defence PRO Lt Col S Newton said, "The meeting reviewed and discussed matters of importance and formulated guidelines for ensuring and keeping the region incident and terror free. The meeting also brought to light the requirement to allay fears in the populace regarding NRC and its fallouts the members further stressed the need to institute mechanism to provide info till the grass root level via NRC Seva Kendras being established by state government as well as through media campaigns including all other mediums on various safeguards instituted by the government in terms of legal recourse available to the populace post NRC publication."

The previous Congress government initiated updating of the NRC to find out the illegal Bangladeshi migrants living in the state. The present BJP-led dispensation is pushing for the conclusion of this mega exercise. Seven years ago, a pilot project for the updating process launched in minority-dominated Barpeta was terminated after minority students went on a rampage, forcing the police to open fire in which four persons were killed and over 70 were injured.

Deputy commissioners in all districts have been asked to hold awareness meetings with all stakeholders and the first two such meetings have already taken place in Barpeta and Sonitpur.