Gogoi: Candid

Guwahati, Nov. 6: It has taken two more blasts in Guwahati and the loss of 14 lives for Tarun Gogoi to make a confession: the Congress-led government has failed the people on law and order.

While confirming what the Opposition has been saying about his second term in office, the chief minister was quick to reiterate that “a big push” would be given to counter-insurgency operations in Assam. Governor Lt Gen. (retd) Ajai Singh expressed similar views. But he said the government could not do everything on its own and urged the people to help the administration thwart acts of violence like the killer explosions yesterday.

The toll, which had been pegged at 12 yesterday, rose by two.

Gogoi and the governor separately visited the blast sites at Fancy Bazar and Pathar Quarry. The unified command for counter-insurgency operations reviewed the security scenario and decided to deploy more forces in all “vulnerable” areas.

Chief secretary S. Kabilan, who heads the three-tier unified command structure, said deployment of forces across the state would be beefed up.

“Counter-insurgency operations will be intensified. We are committed to providing security to all citizens,” he said.

The first sign of success in the operation launched after the blasts came around 2 am, when the police gunned down an unidentified militant at Santipur village, under Noonmati police station. A dozen hand grenades and nine detonators were found on him. Police also rounded up six suspected Ulfa conduits from North Guwahati. They are Bikash Das, Sankar Das, Ranjit Das, Ratan Das, Ayub Khan and Babul Das. All of them were taken to Jalukbari police station.

At the blast site in Fancy Bazar, Gogoi said: “We have not been able to protect the people of Assam. We will intensify counter-insurgency operations to rein in the rebels.”

Accusing Ulfa of extorting money and procuring arms under cover of the peace process, Gogoi said: “Violence only begets violence. Such senseless acts will only bring unrest and further compound problems such as unemployment, affecting the state.”

The banned Ulfa denied its involvement in the blasts through a statement.