Gandhi visits Assam

Press, 31 March 1983, Page 6

Gandhi visits Assam

NZPA-Reuter New Delhi The Indian Prime Minister, Mrs Indira Gandhi, is starting a three-day visit to India’s troubled northeastern state of Assam where 15 people have died in fresh violence since last Sunday. Mrs Gandhi will hold talks with officials and visit relief camps housing refugees from bloodshed during last month’s state elections in which 3000 people were killed and 250,000 made homeless. The Assam Government yesterday authorised the police in the Borgoria area

of the Sibsagar district to shoot on sight anyone committing violent acts, reports the Press Trust of India news agency. The Borgoria village in Upper Assam was the scene of violence on Sunday in which 11 people died and 50 houses were destroyed. Four others were killed in central areas of the state. Militant Assamese leaders have declared a day of mourning for those killed in the violence and urged supporters to boycott Mrs Gandhi’s meetings and hang out black flags. Last week-end they announced temporary suspen-

sion of their anti-immigrant campaign which led them to boycott the elections won by Mrs Gandhi’S Congress (J) Party. - The militants objected to the inelmion of alleged illegal immigrants on voters* rolls and demanded their eviction from the state. The illegal settlers are mainly mtaunu from former* east Pakistan (now Bangladesh). Troops and paramilitary units have combed parts of Assam looking for arms, ammunition and explosives. The police were patrolling round the clock in some areas.