Assam riots: BJP seeks explanation from PM

The BJP on Wednesday slammed the Assam Government and Centre on the continuing violence in Assam and demanded an explanation from the Prime Minister, who is also an MP from the state.

The party has described the situation in the state as “alarming” even as it accused the ruling Congress -- both at the Centre and in the state -- for bringing the situation to such a pass.

“The BJP would like to have a straight answer from the Prime Minister on this issue,” said party spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy here on Wednesday.

“The party had been forewarning the Centre on this for a long time,” he said. 

“The onus of this violence lies totally on the Congress-led government at the Centre, in addition to the government in the state,” he said.

Rudy also alleged that contrary to the government figures about those displaced by the violence in Assam, “around 5 lakh persons have been displaced in the state”.

BJP general secretary Vijay Goel, who’s heading a four-member party team to the state to assess the situation there, meanwhile, said that “the situation had come to such a pass because of unchecked and continuous illegal immigration” (from Bangladesh). “The main reason for the current situation is due to rampant illegal immigration... There have been reports of such migration to Bodoland area also. If migrants gain upper hand, it’s only natural that locals would be apprehensive and agitate,” said Goel.

Goel demanded immediate steps to prevent the entry of illegal migrants into the country.