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Saturday, Nov 17, 2007
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Saikia Commission report: team to study options for action against those indicted

Special Correspondent

The Commission had indicted Mahanta, police and Home Ministry officials

State government to revive all the 20 cases of “secret killing”
1998 to 2001 “darkest chapter in the history of Assam”

Guwahati: The Assam government will form a committee of legal experts to examine the options for initiating action against those indicted by the Justice K.N. Saikia Commission.

The Commission has indicted the former Chief Minister, Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, the then police hierarchy and the Home Ministry for the “extra-constitutional killings” in Assam during 1998-2001.

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi told reporters here on Friday that the government would also revive all the 20 cases of “secret killings” for re-investigation as recommended by the Commission.

Mr. Gogoi described the period from 1998 to 2001, during which the secret killings of family members of the leaders and cadres of the ULFA occurred, as the “darkest chapter in the history of Assam.”

Asked to comment on the recommendation to dismantle gradually the Unified Command Structure under which synergised counter-insurgency operations are conducted by the Army, Assam Police and Central paramilitary forces, Mr. Gogoi said the situation was not conducive for that as there were threats from the jehadis apart from ULFA.

He, however, said the government had stated in the Action Taken Report on the Commission’s report that the recommendation would be considered during the tri-monthly review of the Unified Command.

He refuted Mr. Mahanta’s allegations that the report was manipulated by the Congress government to appease ULFA and malign the former Chief Minister and the regional party government led by him.

“We have never come to power with the help of ULFA. Why should we appease ULFA? It is a false, concocted and motivated allegation against us. We are not going to slow down the operations against ULFA.”

The Chief Minister also asked the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) to clarify whether the regional party had accepted or rejected the report.

He said that other ministers in the then Mahanta government should also share collective responsibility for the “secret killings.”

He challenged Mr. Mahanta to file a case to reject the Justice Saikia Commission report.

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