Guwahati: The Assam Assembly on Monday witnessed uproarious scenes over the rape and murder of a Class V student at Batadrava in Nagaon district.
Congress MLAs moved an adjournment motion to discuss the safety and security of women in the light of the incident. This was followed by heated exchanges between the Treasury and Opposition benches.
The BJP members alleged that most of such crimes are committed by people from a particular community and that the prime accused of the rape and murder was a Congress worker.
Police arrested the prime accused of the March 23 incident, Jakir Hussain, from Itapara in Nagaon on Sunday. Police have also arrested two juveniles for their alleged involvement in the crime.
Education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma requested parliamentary affairs minister Chandra Mohan Patowary to tell the House the names of the accused. Patowary announced the name of the adult accused of not only this incident but also of four other recent rape cases, all of whom belonged to the minority community. Aminul Islam of AIUDF objected and accused Patowary of being selective by not taking the names of some other recent rape cases where the accused were from other communities.
Another AIUDF legislator, Mamun Imdadul Haque Chawdhury, said; "A criminal is a criminal and his name and religion are not important".
The BJP legislator, Shiladitya Dev, told reporters outside the Assembly that "over 90 per cent of the crimes in the state are committed by Muslim migrants from Bangladesh".
Inside the House, leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia said there were more than 3,000 rape cases in the state in the last two years and on an average 25 cases of crime against women and four rapes are reported in the state every day.
Patowary also accused the Congress of raising the matter to gain political mileage.
As the commotion continued, the Congress MLAs walked out in protest. After the walkout, deputy Speaker Dilip Kumar Paul, who was in the Chair, disallowed the adjournment motion.
The BJP legislators said the Congress members went out because they do not want to hear the names of the rape accused and also questioned why the Congress is yet to expel the rape accused from the party.
Sarma suggested that the government should come out with a catalogue containing names of all the rape accused so that people can know who they are and from where they come. "It (the catalogue) may cause embarrassment to many," Sarma said.
Congress leader and former minister Gautam Bora on Monday denied that Jakir was a party member.
Sonowal stand: Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday wrote to Gauhati High Court Chief Justice Ajit Singh requesting a fast-track court to take up all cases of crimes against women on an urgent basis.
He also asked director- general of police Mukesh Sahay to set up a cell in his office to expeditiously take up all crimes against women. He said a woman police officer should take charge of the cell so that swift investigation is conducted in all cases. Sonowal held a high-level meeting against the backdrop of the rape and killing of the 12-year-old in Nagaon district which was attended by legal adviser to the chief minister Shantanu Bharali, chief secretary T.Y. Das and other senior officials.
A statement from the chief minister's office said Sonowal expressed concern over such "heinous" crimes and directed the police to take "stringent" action against the perpetrators.
Additional reporting by Rajiv Konwar
