Indigenous people are remembered only before elections: Prabajan Virodhi Manch

GUWAHATI: Indigenous people are remembered only before elections and that signifies the case of Late Arnamai Bora, said Prabajan Virodhi Manch (PVM) convener and senior advocate Upamanyu Hazarika on Friday.

"The State government on Friday announced compensation of Rs 5 lakhs to the family of Late Arnamai Borah for her death by murder. She was murdered on May 31, 2017 in Jamunamukh where she was serving as headmistress of a government lower primary school. Why has the government suddenly woken up after more than 3 years of her murder towards giving compensation? Is it because of the loss of indigenous support and the close proximity of the forth coming assembly elections? There seems to be no other explanation. It is only before elections that our leaders remember the indigenous people," Hazarika opined.

He added that the response of the government towards indigenous and those of Bangladeshi origin in terms of any government benefits is vastly different, the latter being given preferential treatment. This is evident from the two contrasting cases of Late Borah and Late Lafikul Islam who also was killed around the same time, he asserted.

Lt. Lafikul Islam, president of ABMSU was killed on 1st of August 2017, two months after that of Borah, Hazarika underlined.

"Immediately upon Lafikul's death, three cabinet ministers, senior government and police officials went to his house the very next day, offered compensation of Rs 10 lakhs and two government jobs to members of his family. Late Islam was not even a government employee to be entitled as per existing rules for compassionate appointment to his family members," he pointed out.

Further he stressed that in the case of Borah, being serving as a government employee, her children, and in her case, her daughter entitled to companionate employment, of which even after her making an application was rejected.

"It is relevant that no one, no minister, official visited her family after her murder. Her brutal rape and murder has severe repercussions for the remaining 20 per cent indigenous population in Jamunamukh, making them insecure and will be forced to leave their homeland in the near future," he said.

"When Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, sometime in early part of 2019 shed crocodile tears upon the murder Borah towards invoking indigenous support, he had no answer as to why the compassionate appointment due to her daughter was denied," he added.

Lastly, he alleged that it has been the consistent behaviour of the Chief Minister and leaders of present government that they will pander only to the Bangladeshi and hold out false assurances and promises to the indigenous before an election.

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