Assam, Centre in blame-game over troops

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A blame-game began between the Centre and the Assam government on Friday, less than 24 hours before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to the strife-torn state, on allegations of delay in deployment of troops. Ironically, Assam has a Congress government.

Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi said the situation would not have deteriorated had Army troops been deployed on the first day of the communal clashes. He also said the Union home ministry did not share any intelligence warning of a flare-up.

Union home minister P. Chidambaram will visit Assam on Monday.

Obviously upset at the home ministry’s claim that it had alerted the state administration about the possibility of conflict, Gogoi told reporters, “If the Centre had intelligence inputs about the impending violence in Assam, it should have sent in the Army earlier.”

“It took the forces four days to reach,” said Gogoi, pointing out that the state government was not in favour of taking away paramilitary forces when they were withdrawn last year.

Hours after Gogoi’s statement, top government officials in New Delhi were divided on whether the Army acted in time, following which the MHA despatched Central paramilitary forces. Though the local administration sought Army deployment on July 23, the deployment of Army troops took place only on July 25. Top government officials said the Army had insisted on MoD clearance.

But, refuting allegations of any delay, Army sources said in such situations, when requisitioning of Army troops is needed, the permission of the MoD has to be granted first and that procedure was followed. MoD sources also denied any delay, saying the rules mandate deployment of the Army in a communally-charged situation only 'as a last resort', when the state police and Central paramilitary forces have failed to control such a situation.

The Army has deployed an additional seven columns for conduct of flag-marches apart from 13 columns deployed earlier.

MoD nod to send Army not needed?

Some in the government here point out that ministry of defence clearance for Army deployment is 'not required' under the rule book' as Section 130 of the CrPC says an 'executive magistrate of the highest rank' who is present can requisition the armed forces for the dispersal of any assembly which threatens public security.

Officials said a request was made by the local administration — the deputy commissioners of Kokrajhar and Chirang districts — to Army units on July 23 for deployment of Army personnel.

When the Army did not rush in, the chief secretary of Assam, Naba Kumar Das, wrote to Union home secretary R.K. Singh and defence secretary Shashikant Sharma seeking deployment of Army troops. The home secretary also spoke to the defence secretary to follow up the matter urgently. Army troops were finally deployed on July 25.

“Army troops were deployed on July 25 when permission was granted,” defence sources said. “As per procedure, the Army is deployed as a last resort. This is because the terms of engagement of the Army to deal with such situations is completely different from that of a state police force or Central paramilitary forces,” defence sources added.

However, MHA officials conceded there had been some delay by the Central paramilitary forces in reaching the affected districts and claimed that Army troops could have reached the trouble spots within three to four hours as two major Army stations are located within 150 km of both Kokrajhar and Chirang.

A total of 73 companies (7,300 personnel) of the Central paramilitary forces are being deployed in Assam. Twelve companies of Central forces are still on the way to Assam from places as far as Jamshedpur and Imphal.

“Though many of these forces were airlifted, many others had to travel by road. So, naturally, they took time to reach the affected districts,” an official said.

Meanwhile, the Centre has rushed two teams of doctors and nurses to the riot-hit regions to help people in the relief camps. The Centre also dispatched a C-135 heavy-lift aircraft with medical teams and supplies to the violence-hit areas. Mr R.K. Singh said National Disaster Relief Force teams, along with experts on drinking water and sanitation issues, have been sent on the same aircraft.

Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth reviewed relief and medical arrangements for the victims of the worst communal violence in recent times in Lower Assam’s districts during a video conference with the Assam chief secretary.