Assam: NCM satisfied with rehabilitation work in violence-hit areas

GUWAHATI: National Commission for Minorities (NCM) today expressed satisfaction over relief and rehabilitation measures taken by the Assam government to help violence-affected people in BTAD areas.

A NCM team, headed by its chairman Naseem Ahmad, today met Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi here and discussed the situation in Bodoland Territorial Areas Districts.

Ahmad appreciated the efforts made by the state government to restore normalcy in the affected areas and underscored the need for confidence building measures to help restore normalcy in the area.

The issue of shelter and rehabilitation of orphaned children, education of the affected children, special psychological counselling to help victims come out of trauma and NCC training for school children were also discussed.

Both Commission and the state government agreed on the necessity of better coordination with neighbouring countries like Bhutan to tackle insurgency-related issues and to take up the matter with the centre.

NCM pointed out the need for more police pickets in vulnerable areas to which Gogoi said the government has already decided to establish more police stations, pickets and outposts in these areas.

They agreed that additional forces should be deployed in addition to the existing ones to prevent recurrence of such incidents in near future.

NCM suggested setting up of fast track courts for speedy disposal of cases and the chief minister assured them that the government would leave no stone unturned to bring the culprits to book.

"The state government has already entrusted NIA to probe the violence in BTAD, besides taking the decision to institute a judicial inquiry to unearth the truth," Gogoi added.