After fresh violence, Assam to seek CBI probe

After the latest round of violence in Assam, in which four persons were killed over the weekend, the state government has decided to seek a CBI investigation into the recent ethnic clashes, official sources said.

The CBI would be asked to probe whether there was any "conspiracy" behind the weeklong clashes between the Bodo and Muslim communities that started last month, which have so far claimed more than 60 lives and forced more than four lakh people into refugee camps. A formal request for a CBI inquiry would be made in a day or two.

"CBI represents an impartial investigation. The state government has, in principle, decided to seek a CBI probe in the clashes," a top state government official said.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was likely to make a suo motu statement in Parliament on the Assam violence on the opening day of the forthcoming monsoon session, sources said. Already, at least three notices for a discussion have been received from MPs of various political parties.

The fresh violence, that came after almost 10 days of calm, has put the brakes on the return of people in the refugee camps to their homes. Less than 40,000 people have so far been able to go back to their villages, sources said. Home Ministry officials said even this estimate could be exaggerated.

A state government official said the Bodo leaders have been demanding that those living in refugee camps, predominantly Muslims, be allowed to go back to their homes after proper verification — only those who can produce a land title or any other proof of having come to Assam before 1971. "Such demands have made the rehabilitation efforts very complex," the official said.

In Delhi, Home Secretary R K Singh said there was a possibility of "external elements" being involved in the fresh round of violence. He did not specify what he meant by the phrase "external elements". In the context of Assam, this usually means, people or organisations based in Bangladesh, but the Home Ministry has previously ruled out any Bangladeshi connection to the violence.

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