M A I N   N E W S

Minister rushes to Assam
Additional Army units in vulnerable areas
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 2
Even as the Minister of State for Home, Mr Vidyasagar Rao, today rushed to Assam to assess the law and order situation in the wake of a spurt in killings triggered by the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) activists, additional Army units have been deployed in the vulnerable areas in Assam for counter militancy operations and for sealing the international borders with Bhutan against armed infiltration.

Mr Rao was asked by the Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, to rush to Assam and make an on-the-spot assessment of the law and order situation, especially in the wake of the attacks by ULFA militants on candidates in the fray for the state Assembly poll, a Home Ministry spokesman said here.

His visit to the hill state assumes significance as the state is going to the polls on May 10 amidst threat of disruption from ULFA militants, who have safe haven in the neighbouring Bhutan.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Home Affairs took a serious view of the recent incidents of violence perpetrated by the United Liberation Front of Assam and said the ULFA “is committing anti-democratic acts at the behest of Pakistan’s ISI and other foreign agencies inimical to India.”

“The ministry observes that the objective of these senseless killings of contesting candidates and political activists and workers by the ULFA is to vitiate the poll process for the election to the state Assembly in Assam. The government is committed to ensure a free and fair poll in Assam,” a statement from the Home Ministry said.

Top officials of the Union Home Ministry reviewed the security scenario in Assam and decided to rush more Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to the state to ensure a free and fair poll.

“The security forces in the state have been put on a high alert to thwart the diabolical designs of the militant outfits. The situation is being closely monitored by the Ministry of Home Affairs,” a Home Ministry spokesman told newspersons.

The Centre also fervently appealed to the voters of Assam to strengthen the forces of democracy by courageously participating in the poll process.

“As in the 1999 general election to the Lok Sabha, the brave people of Assam will reject militancy in Assam by demonstrating that ballot is more powerful than the bullet in a democracy,” it said.

Suspected ULFA militants had gunned down eight persons, including BJP general secretary and candidate from the Dibrugarh constituency, Mr Jayanta Dutta and injured several others in different parts of Assam last night.

Earlier, the militants had also tried to eliminate Asom Gana Parishad candidate from the Barpeta constituency, Mr Kumar Dipak Das, who is being treated at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here.

The ULFA militants had also shot dead a Samata Party worker and injured two others when they were taking dinner at a roadside dhaba on the national highway at Rangiya in Kamrup district. The militants also gunned down two AGP activists and injured another at Raniganj in Dhubri district.

Hasina not to visit India

Dhaka, May 2
Bangladesh today said it would favourably consider India’s invitation for talks on border row but scotched speculation about Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visiting Delhi later this month.

“She will not be visiting Delhi either on her way to Brussels or while returning,” Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abdus Samad Azad said here. There was speculation in the Bangladesh media that Ms Hasina would be in Delhi on May 17 or 18. PTI