Leader of Opposition and senior Congress leader Debabrata Saikia on Tuesday said that the recent incident in Kheroni area of West Karbi Anglong shows a complete failure of the Assam government and the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council. He said the situation has become tense and tragic only because the authorities failed to protect people and maintain peace.
Saikia, along with leaders from the Congress, AJP, CPM, Raijor Dal and other opposition parties, visited the affected area to understand the ground situation. He said the team met local residents and heard their version of events. According to him, what they saw and heard was “heartbreaking” and raised serious questions about the role of the administration.
The Opposition leader said the most painful part of the incident was the loss of innocent lives. He expressed deep sorrow for the families who lost their loved ones. Saikia said that people were killed during police action and even a man who was unwell and could not leave his house also died in the violence. He called these deaths “extremely unfortunate” and said they could have been prevented if the administration had acted responsibly. 
He also accused the ruling BJP of double standards. Saikia said the BJP often demands President’s Rule in West Bengal over relatively smaller incidents, but has not taken any such tough stand when serious unrest has broken out in Assam itself. He said that while Assam is facing tension and violence, the government led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has failed to respond with adequate seriousness.
Saikia further alleged that there is a political conspiracy behind the situation. According to him, efforts are being made to divide people on the basis of ethnicity, region, and community for political gain. He said a “Divide and Rule” policy is being followed, which is creating mistrust between the hills and the plains and also among different tribes and communities. He warned that such politics may bring electoral benefits to some, but it will harm Assam’s unity in the long run.
At the same time, Saikia made it clear that the Congress supports the constitutional safeguards provided to tribal communities under the Sixth Schedule, as well as the provisions of the Assam Accord. However, he said the government must follow the law before taking any eviction action. He pointed out that the Supreme Court has clearly said that proper rehabilitation or alternative arrangements must be made before evicting families from any land. Every citizen, he said, has the right to live with dignity.
The Opposition leader said the government must also ensure financial help and relief for all those affected by the incident. He demanded proper compensation for the families of those who died and also for people whose homes and shops were destroyed during the unrest. According to him, the state must take responsibility for the damage caused.
Saikia said the joint delegation of Opposition parties will meet the Governor of Assam to formally place their demands and concerns. He said they will urge the Governor to ensure peace, justice and protection for all communities in the affected area.
Calling for calm, Saikia appealed to the people of Assam not to fall prey to divisive politics. He said Assam has always been a state where different tribes, communities and cultures have lived together. Any attempt to break this unity, he said, will only bring pain and instability.
