change in the demographic profile of the country. Shri Lalu Prasad, MP, (RJD) observed the forces behind the incident should be exposed and strict action must be taken against
INDIA
with Bangladesh was still open as the border fencing work had not been completed even after so many years. He was afraid that if the influx of people from Bangladesh was not checked, the Bodo tribal people would become homeless. For Smt. Ranee Narah, MP, (INC) the incidents were a result of ethnic clashes which was the handiwork of some miscreants and not a clash between Indian and Bangladeshi nationals. Shri E.T. Mohammed
Shri Lalu Prasad, MP
those found guilty of perpetrating these clashes. Shri Anant Gangaram Geete, MP, (SS) said the incident in Assam related to the infiltration of Bangladeshis and the government should take it seriously and gear itself up to tackle the problem. He asked the government to make a strict and comprehensive law for repatriating illegal foreigners. Shri Prabodh Panda, MP, (CPI) said the incidents in some parts of the Bodo Autonomous Region of Assam were not ethnic or communal conflicts. He said the issue related to the land disputes, identifying the intruders after 1971, and ensuring the democratic right of the local people. Shri Joseph Toppo, MP,
(AGP) regretted that the border
attack on the indigenous, Indian Bodo tribal people by the illegal, hostile, Bangladeshi citizens. He requested the central government to take appropriate steps to help for creating the long awaited separate state of Bodoland so as to help and protect and for the overall development of the Bodo people and other peace-loving people in the region. The Minister of Home Affairs,
Shri Joseph Toppo, MP
Shri Sushil Kumar Shinde, MP, said the House should send a clear signal that people
332 | The Parliamentarian | 2012: Issue Four
Basheer, MP, (AIML) said as the state government had miserably failed in controlling the situation, it was the duty of the central government to intervene in the matter and bring an end to the violence as the situation was moving from bad to worse. Shri S.K. Bwiswmuthiary, MP, (BPF) asserted there was neither an ethnic conflict nor a communal clash; rather a blatant aggression, a barbaric
The riots that occured in Assam in July and August, fuelled lengthy debate in the Parliament of India.
Smt. Ranee Narah, MP Shri Prabodh Panda, MP
belonging to different religions and communities should live peacefully. Giving details of unfortunate incidents of violence which took place in Kokrajhar, Chirang, Dhubri and Bongaigaon districts in Assam from 6 July
Assam government, there was simmering tension between Bodo and non-Bodo communities of Bodoland Territorial Area District (BTAD) on various socio-political issues. The state government had set up hundreds of relief camps for the affected families. A comprehensive security plan had been chalked out to provide foolproof security to the affected population. All necessary measures had been taken for the maintenance of law and order, relief operations; and other related issues. By 6 August 2012, over 115,000 persons had returned to their villages. The central government was providing all possible assistance to the government of Assam to control the violence and rehabilitation of affected families, said the Minister. Replying to the debate,
Shri Sushil Kumar Shinde, MP
2012, the Minister said as per the report received from the
Shri Advani said the number of Bangladeshi infiltrators in the country was around 12 million which clearly showed the failure of the government. There was endless infiltration of Bangladeshis in the North East, causing apprehension in the minds of the people that a time might come when they would lose their land to the infiltrators and the aboriginals would be reduced to a minority. At the end of a lengthy debate the motion was rejected.