400 Quarantined In Assam For Coronavirus

A 76-year-old American tourist tested positive for COVID-19 in Bhutan, the first such case in the country, after travelling through Assam recently.

Guwahati: At least 400 people in Assam have been quarantined after they came in contact with an American tourist who tested positive for the new coronavirus, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Sunday. The American, who tested positive in Bhutan, had travelled through Assam recently, the minister said.
In a series of tweets, Mr Sarma said five people have been tested so far and the results have come negative.
"State Health Dept has traced more than 400 contacts in different places including MV Mahabahu (cruise ship) and resorts where he stayed. Teams of doctors and microbiologists have been keeping a close watch on these people who have been quarantined," he tweeted.

Corona 2: State Health Dept has traced more than 400 contacts in different places including MV Mahabahu and resorts where he stayed. Teams of doctors and microbiologists have been keeping a close watch on these people who have been quarantined.

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) March 8, 2020

A 76-year-old American tourist tested positive for COVID-19 in Bhutan, the first such case in the country, after travelling through Assam recently.
On Saturday, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Pijush Hazarika said the river cruise ship MV Mahabahu, on which the US tourist had travelled from Guwahati on Brahmaputra has been quarantined at a distance away from docking Neamatighat in the Jorhat district.
According to the management of the hotel, where the US national had stayed on March 1, before taking a flight to Paro International Airport in Bhutan the next day, the second floor of the building with 18 rooms has been sealed and sanitised.
Mr Sarma said the health department has taken all possible measures to combat the virus.

Corona 1: Health Department, Assam has been taking all possible measures to combat #CoronaVirus in State.
In the aftermath of an American tourist declared positive for Corona virus while in Bhutan, State Health officials have swung into action.

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) March 8, 2020

"In the aftermath of an American tourist declared positive for coronavirus while in Bhutan, state health officials have swung into action," he added.

Corona 3: So far, 5 tests done and all are negative. Even partner of American tourist is reported to be negative. Appeal to all in #Assam not to panic and observe all protocols including personal hygiene. With your cooperation, we will safely sail through these turbulent times.

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) March 8, 2020

"So far, 5 tests done and all are negative. Even partner of American tourist is reported to be negative. Appeal to all in #Assam not to panic and observe all protocols including personal hygiene. With your cooperation, we will safely sail through these turbulent times," Mr Sarma tweeted.

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Assam: Militant violence, not ethnic clashes?

By Kishalay Bhattacharjee


Kokrajhar: 20 minutes from Kokrajhar town through lush green fields and a forest is Pakritol village. Not a recent habitat but a very old settlement with neat rows of houses. We hesitate to enter knowing that people there must be agitated. An Army convoy with red flags overtake us to go into the village and we follow them. A crowd waiting at the bend and a family mourning. But this is not from Monday's violence. We learn that someone keeping unwell has passed away. We are then led to the scene of destruction.

A father sits on the roadside unable to speak. His 16-year-old daughter was hit by a bullet on Monday evening. His world seems to have slipped beneath. Four persons were hit by bullets the same evening.

The villagers narrate the nightmare blow-by-blow but we know that we can't stay here for long. Emotions are running high and a lone media crew can easily become a target for their anger and frustration.

We are shown evidences of Monday evening's attack. Objects meant to torch houses; the attackers spilled some inflammable fluid, probably Mobil, to set fire. They also left behind a pair of sneakers and sandals and while running away they shot at a girl who is now battling for life in a Guwahati hospital.

Though they haven't been able to torch houses, they set some haystacks on fire and then they moved across the village firing several rounds of which we have been able to collect evidence. A villager takes me aside to show a dozen bullet shells. All AK-47 bullets. They claim they collected 3000 of them.

Everybody wanted us visit their home and inspect the bullet marks. In one house the wall next to the bed was shot at. The family then preparing to sleep escaped unhurt.

Every single house in this village was fired at. People fled and that is how the casualty is low. But the bullets were flying and hit domestic animals. Several cows were bleeding. This has been a pattern elsewhere in the state as well. The attackers don't spare even the livestock.

Mutiur Rahman, a young man calmly explains that, "We are not blaming the Bodos, we are accusing the government here." His anger shows and the pitch of his voice rises, "Yes it is definitely work of militants, the weapons used look at how they have fired at... the government here, Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), is responsible for this... we want Army rule here... we want security, if we don't get security we will block the railway and let police fire at us or kill us, we are ready to commit suicide."

Not just bullets to kill and mashals to torch the village. They came armed with bows and arrows as well. We found an arrow which came and hit a television screen while people were watching the evening soap.

The Chief Minister had sent six of his senior ministers to tour the area. All India Congress Committee (AICC) had also sent a team. Both admitted that the Bodo autonomous council members who are former militants must be reined in. While rushing out to visit another site, Parvez Hashmi, a Member of Parliament, is in agreement that the Bodo legislators running the autonomous council must own up this time. "If before 2011 they were voters and have voted and elected BTC MLAs then they are residents of this place and after 2011 whatever people have entered this place we will decide their fate accordingly."

There is enough evidence with the government now that the violence continuing for the last five weeks was also militant violence and not just ethnic violence. It is political violence propped up and backed by militant bodies. The chief minister is fast running out of options but the first step could be to start disarming the population using guns to prove their point.

Central, Assam govts failed on law and order front: AIUDF

GUWAHATI: Assam's principal Opposition party AIUDF today alleged that both the central and state governments have failed in maintaining law and order situation in violence-hit areas of the state.

"The state government has lost control over the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) area and the Centre has also not done enough. If the government cannot protect the lives and property of the common people, what is the use of having such regime," All India United Democratic Front General Secretary Aditya Langthasa told reporters here.

Armed miscreants were able to act with impunity and without any challenge from the government and security forces, he alleged.

"The situation was returning to normalcy when suddenly innocent people were targeted at Salakati and Fakiragram in Kokrajhar district on August 22. Since then, the attacks have not been by countered," Langthasa said.

"From the July 9 molestation case in Guwahati to the violence in lower Assam and yesterday's incidents during the bandh called by All Assam Minority Students' Union, all point towards grave failure on the part of the state," he said.

Langthasa also demanded action against AAMSU cadres who resorted to violence during yesterday's Assam bandh.

"Everybody has a right to protest in a democratic manner, but when violence takes the front seat then that protest cannot be termed as democratic," Langthasa said, adding that AIUDF is against "any bandh call".

The AIUDF leader also said that the state government should take into confidence all the communities before taking any decisions on the violence-hit areas.

Assam toll crosses 90, Army begins search to locate weapons

"The Army is out and is helping us. It has been given full powers to seize illegal arms and ammunition and I believe we will get results very soon," CM Tarun Gogoi said.

GUWAHATI: With violence continuing in the riot-hit state, the Army on Tuesday launched one of its biggest search operations ever in six districts of lower Assam to seize illegal arms and explosives that have repeatedly been used to spread terror.

However, despite the huge presence of security forces, the state remained on the boil with one miscreant killed in Barpeta during a group clash while another person was killed in police firing late at Pakharitol village in Dhubri district on Monday night. With another body found in Kokrajhar on Tuesday, the death toll stood at 91.

There was tension in Barpeta where several houses were torched. Barpeta deputy commissioner Siddharth Singh told TOI that around 25 houses in Khoirabari were set on fire. One local was killed and 28 injured. "Police had to open fire to bring the situation under control. Police and Army personnel have been deployed," he said.

"The Army is out and is helping us. It has been given full powers to seize illegal arms and ammunition and I believe we will get results very soon," said chief minister Tarun Gogoi.

The Army was requisitioned by the government on July 25 to help the administration in controlling ethnic clashes in lower Assam. Defence sources said, "The Army's focus has now shifted to seizing all illegal weapons. There are explosives, too, and the Army's job is to push its intelligence gathering and get hold of all these weapons. There are reports that even normal people with no links with rebel outfits may be armed."

Nearly 2,000 troops are deployed in virtually every nook and cranny of Kokrajhar, Dhubri, Bongaigaon, Chirang, Baksa and Nalbari districts in lower Assam.

Tuesday was also the second straight day of violence-marred day of Assam Bandh, this time called by All Assam Minority Students' Union (Aamsu) and 30 other minority organizations in protest against attacks on Muslims in the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) areas.

Police lathi-charged to disperse stone-pelting mobs that also attacked mediapersons. Aamsu and the minority bodies have formed a forum called the United Movement for People's Rights (UMPR) demanding President's Rule and ouster of the Tarun Gogoi-led state government.

In Sonitpur, the Tezpur circle officer's car and one police vehicle were burnt. Curfew was imposed on Barpeta Road and in some parts of Tezpur. The police also fired in Jogighopa in Bongaigaon. Violent incidents were also reported from Morigaon and Nagaon and Sivsagar. Protesters burnt effigies of Mohilary, L K Advani and Bodo women's activist Anjali Daimary.

Gogoi accused BJP and AIUDF of making provocative statements and reiterated his appeal to all political parties and outfits to refrain from calling bandhs. "I am not happy with the way BJP and AIDUF and some other groups are making provocative statements," Gogoi said, adding, "This is a crisis hour and everybody should exercise restraint."

Several Muslim organizations as well AIUDF leader and MP Badruddin Ajmal, without taking names, strongly alleged that there are a large number of illegal weapons in the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts and demanded they be immediately seized.

Assam unrest exerts demand pressure at Coonoor tea auction

Coonoor, Aug. 27 : 

Assam unrest continued to exert demand pressure from upcountry buyers at Coonoor Tea Trade Association auctions resulting in about 92.5 per cent of the 13 lakh kg offered in Sale No: 34 being sold with average prices raising Rs 2 a kg over the previous week.

Homedale Estate tea, auctioned by Global Tea Brokers, topped the CTC market at Rs 161 a kg. Vigneshwar Estate got Rs 142, Shanthi Supreme Rs 140, Hittakkal Estate Rs 139, Blue Monte speciality Rs 137, Deepika Supreme Rs 136 and Ambukal Estate Rs 135. In all, 136 marks got Rs 100 and more.

Among orthodox teas from corporate sector, Highfield Estate got Rs 207, Chamraj Rs 200, Corsley Rs 180, Kairbetta Rs 173 and Havukal Rs 170. In all, 29 marks got Rs 100 and more.

“Quality orthodox brokens were dearer by Rs 5-10 a kg. CTC leaf market gained Rs 2-3. Orthodox dust grades got Rs 2-3 more. CTC dust market was dearer up to Rs 3,” an auctioneer said.

On the export front, Pakistan bought in a wide range (Rs 66-96 a kg) and the CIS (Rs 67-87). There was some purchase for European ports at Rs 71-97.

Quotations held by brokers indicated bids ranging Rs 65-67 a kg for plain leaf grades and Rs 100-135 for brighter liquoring sorts. They ranged Rs 75-80 for plain dusts and Rs 100-140 for brighter liquoring dusts.

Immigrants taking our lands: Top Bodo leader

By Sanjib Kr Baruah

Kokrajhar, Aug 27 : In a rare interview, the usually reticent chief of the Bodoland Territorial Autonomous Districts (BTAD) has said that the conflict in the area in west Assam is one between foreigners and Indians, and not a Hindu-Muslim or a Bodo-Muslim one. "The present clash in BTAD is an issue between
Indian citizens and illegal immigrants from Bangladesh who have come in droves and taken our lands," Hagrama Mohilary, BTAD chief, told HT.

"And after building up their numbers, they are eyeing political rights which will pose grave danger to local ethnic communities."

"This is a problem not only for Bodoland or the Northeast but the entire country. This is a crucial time for us to stand united," Mohilary said.

Mohilary, former leader of the militant Bodo Liberation Tigers that fought for a separate Bodo homeland, heads the BTAD which came into existence after the government signed the Bodo Accord in 2003.

Blaming the media for the state of affairs, he said, "The national media has been one-sided in its reportage, blaming just Bodos for the violence. The current exodus of northeasterners back to their home states is a result of this misreporting."

"The propaganda is being deliberately and systematically spread by Maulana Badruddin Ajmal. Our indigenous Muslims have already warned him not to indulge in communal politics in the state," he said.

Now a Lok Sabha MP from Dhubri district in west Assam, Ajmal, a perfume baron, started his business in Dubai and came back to Assam about six years back to join politics. He heads the All India United Democratic Front, which is the largest opposition party in the state legislature.

Following incidents of violence in Assam, thousands fled mainly from Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune and Chennai back to their home states in the Northeast after reported MMSes and SMSes threatened violence against them. Violence has also been reported from the trains they were travelling in.

Demanding that action be taken against Ajmal, the Bodo leader said: "This is a discriminatory attitude on part of the authorities. While one of our MLAs has been arrested on alleged charges of instigating violence, no one was arrested when four of our boys were snatched from the hands of police and killed on the spot. Nor has any action been taken against Ajmal."