Assam: Violent protest for more states continue

Guwahati: Protests for the creation of more states by dividing Assam on the lines of Telangana have got violent. Several government offices have been torched and rail tracks have been removed in Karbi Anglong district of Assam by the violent protesters.

Police said the office of the additional chief engineer of irrigation department and the Khadi Board office, equipment and machineries of public works department here besides a forest beat office at Amri, a land records office at Long-e-Kur, were set ablaze by agitators.

A teak plantation of Congress MP from Autonomous Hill districts Biren Singh Engti and a rubber plantation of a Karbi Autonomous Council Executive Member D Uffing Maslai were also set on fire. Engti's rubber estate was earlier torched by protesters on Friday last.

Karbi Anglong district administration reimposed the curfew, on since Wednesday, after relaxing it between 8 am and 12 pm.

Bodo organisations have also stepped up their agitation and also took out a rally in Kokrajhar in support of their demands. The Bodos served an ultimatum to the Assam government on Sunday and said that they would take their fight for a separate Bodoland to Parliament and state legislative assembly.

The two Bodo People Front MPs Sansuma Khunguur Bwiswmuthiary and Biswajit Daimary will demonstarte in front ot the main gate of Parliament on Monday. The issue will also be raised in the Lok Sabha.

Shoot-at-sight orders have also been issued in the district.

Urging statehood supporters to shun violence, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said the doors of the government were open for talks to solve their problems.

A violent approach by the agitators demanding separate states of Karbi Anglong, Bodoland and Kamatapur states out of Assam along the lines of Telangana will not solve any problem, sources in Chief Minister's Office said quoting Gogoi said.

If the protesters want to resolve their issues, they could come for discussions on their problems with the government. The government, Gogoi warned, will not tolerate those who take the law into their hands.

(With additional information from PTI)