Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde on Sunday said that the Government is determined to curb attacks on minorities as the violence in Assam is aimed at starting a “full-fledged communal conflagration”.
“In the last few days, there have been wanton acts of depredation. Innocent lives were lost at the hands of cadre of certain group. The objective of this group, however, seems to be aimed at starting a full-fledged communal conflagration,” he said in a statement here.Without naming NDFB(S), the Bodo-militant group believed to be responsible for the violence, the Home Minister said these acts of violence have started only after the group started steadily losing its cadres either through surrender or elimination during operations when they opened fire on the forces.
“The Central Government cannot remain unaffected by these killings and is determined to ensure the safety and security of innocent human lives. This determination is all the more important since these incidents are targeted at the minorities,” he said, adding that leaders of both communities must see to it that situation does not deteriorate.Strongly condemning the acts of the militant group, Shinde said the Home Ministry has already deployed 43 companies (4,300 personnel) of Central-armed police forces and 10 more companies are being sent. He said Ministry of Defence also has deployed 15 columns of the army comprising of approximately 1,500 soldiers. “My appeal to all is to maintain calm and quiet as theforces on the ground will definitely control the situation and bring the guilty to justice,” Shinde said.