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This Article is From May 03, 2014

Political Blame Game Erupts over Assam Violence

Political Blame Game Erupts over Assam Violence
The Assam violence has left nearly 31 people dead since Thursday.
New Delhi: A political blame game has erupted over the Assam violence that left 31 people dead since Thursday.

Against the backdrop of the violence in Bodo areas, senior Congress leader and Union Minister Kapil Sibal took a swipe at Narendra Modi, saying that Mr Modi stands for 'Model of Dividing India' and accused BJP leaders of playing the "communal card" to garner votes.

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on his part asked the BJP not to politicise the situation and said that his track record in maintaining law and order was better than BJP-ruled Gujarat.

"It is my charge that in Assam what is happening is because of the vote-bank politics of Congress," BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad alleged at a news conference in Delhi.

Mr Prasad alleged that the Congress had not taken adequate timely steps to prevent the riots after two similar episodes earlier.

He also questioned Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who represents Assam in the Rajya Sabha, as to what he had done in the last 10 years to ensure effective law and order in the state which has seen repeated incidents of clashes between Bodos and immigrant Bangladeshis.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah blamed Mr Modi, the BJP prime ministerial candidate, for the violence.

"In Assam, 30 Muslims were murdered. Why? Because BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi made a speech there and tried to incite people against Muslims. This is a fact. This truth cannot be denied," Mr Abdullah said during an election rally at Tangmarg in Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency.

Mr Abdullah said that Mr Modi, in his election rally in Assam three days earlier, had branded all Muslims living in that state as "Bangladeshis", which resulted in the attacks on them.

"Three days earlier, he (Modi) went there and branded all Muslims as Bangladeshis and today 30 Muslims have been put to sleep in the grave," he added.

Mr Prasad attacked Mr Sibal and Mr Abdullah for targeting Mr Modi over the violence and said such allegations are unfounded and baseless.

On Mr Abdullah's remarks, he said, "I think Omar Abdullah is not being taken seriously even by the people of his own state."

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