Organised violence

Justice (Retd) R. K. Manisena Singh’s probe report tabled in the Assam Assembly identifies AANLA as the main instigator of the Beltola riot.

Justice (Retd) R. K. Manisena Singh’s probe report tabled in the Assam Assembly in the beginning of April identifies the All Adivasis National Liberation Army (AANLA) as the main instigator of the riot, one of the worst to have happened in Assam and the region ever. Manisena said that there was a prima facie case of conspiracy amongst some of the Adivasis at the instigation of AANLA behind the incident.

The inquiry commission instituted to probe an incident of violence in the heart of Guwahati where tribal Adivasi demonstrators and local residents clashed in Beltola area that left one dead and 250 others injured, besides stripping of a girl, on November 24, 2007.

Witnesses are quoted as saying to the Commission that an AANLA leader Bikash Munda gave Rs. 20,000 to a senior functionary of the All Adivasi Student Association of Assam (AASAA) to organize the November 11 rally. The report confirms that a section of the Adivasis including those leading the procession and even some of the women members were carrying lathis, stones and sharp-edged weapons. AANLA incited a section of the realists to assault residents, damage vehicles, roadside shops and residential properties in Beltola, says the report. The report also clearly says that at the outset, the rally and the meeting in itself that preceded the violence, were unlawful.

“There were lapses on the authorities, who were concerned in maintenance of law and order including public order,” the Commission headed by retired Justice RK Manisena Singh in its report

The report also squarely blames the Kamrup Metropolitan Administration as the abettor of the fracas. The administration took no anticipatory action to maintain law and order, observes Manisena. The report again clearly says that the damage caused to the property and the assault on the public and Adivasis could not be controlled due to the absence sufficient force.

The report suggests that the case be probed by a Central or a State investigating agency so that it comes to judicial notice.

The State Government on its part mentioned in the Action Taken Report (ATR) placed in the Assembly, that it has already approached the CBI conducting a through investigation to fix responsibility and it has initiated steps to identify those responsible for the incident as well as ensure that such incidents do not occur.

On the other hand, AASAA has dismissed the Manisena Commission report on Beltola violence that has been tabled in the Assam Assembly.

AASAA vice president Raphael Kujur reacted by saying that the report has been totally influenced by the Congress and the State Government. “How can the report say that the rally to be unlawful when it was organized by the very permission by the Kamrup District Administration. We can categorically state that there is no link and relation whatsoever between the AASAA and AANLA. AASAA is a student organization having total faith in democratic way of protest while AANLA is a militant outfit. No one from AASAA ever took any money from the AANLA,” said Kujur. “The report is totally biased and not exhaustive at all. We totally disagree with it and demand a CBI enquiry to it. Justice Manisena can depend so much on the oral evidences given by the State Government but why did he ignored the video evidences given by the electronic media showing involvement of the NSUI. The striping of a woman on the street of Guwahati has not touched the State Government and it was done precious nothing to book the culprits. But instead of doing this the Government is engaged only in conspiring against the members of AASAA and trying its best to establish a so called nexus between the AASAA and AANLA which is far from truth,” said AASAA president Justine Lakra.

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