'Tarun Gogoi is incompetent to be chief minister. We heard Intelligence had warned him about possible aggression. Why did Gogoi fail to react?'
'Modi and his men have been spreading separatist messages across Assam for years. There is no way the BJP can shake off its responsibility now.'
Former Assam minister Rameswar Dhanowar was the first to demand Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi's resignation for his failure to prevent the recent violence in the Bodoland Territorial Areas District.
Forty people were killed, several scores injured and thousands rendered homeless in the violence earlier this month in terrifying attacks mounted by the I K Songbijit faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland, which is opposed to talks with the Government of India.
The violence was directed against Bengali-speaking Muslims apparently because they had not voted for Bodo candidates in the April 24 Lok Sabha election.
Rameswar Dhanowar, the senior-most Congress legislator, was the first to demand Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi's resignation for his failure to prevent the violence in the Bodoland Territorial Areas District.
The octogenarian Dhanowar, who was dropped as a minister by Gogoi, spoke to Indrani Roy/Rediff.com
Why did you seek Gogoi's resignation?
He is absolutely incompetent to be chief minister.
The home portfolio belongs to him. Why didn't he have any clue about what was going to happen?
Why did so many people get killed?
We heard that Intelligence had warned him about possible aggression.
Why did Gogoi fail to react?
My heart weeps for those who lost their lives and their near and dear ones.
Even days after the incident, there is no progress in the investigation. The culprits are still at large.
Asking for Gogoi's resignation was the least I could have done under the circumstances.
Your detractors say since you were dropped from Gogoi's cabinet, you are taking advantage of the situation.
This is utter nonsense.
Whether I am in the cabinet or not, it doesn't matter.
I was never a favourite of the chief minister as I dared to oppose him.
He doesn't believe in constructive criticism, he wants deaf, dumb and blind 'yes men' around him.
I could have never survived in such a cabinet in any case.
Do you think the killings could have been averted?
Of course!
Had Gogoi paid attention to the intelligence reports, peace would not have been hampered.
Unfortunately, the chief minister was too casual in his approach and so many people lost their lives as a result.
Some non-Bodo organisations attributed the incident to Bodoland People's Front legislator Pramila Rani Brahma airing her views that her party candidate (for the Kokrajhar seat) and Assam minister Chandan Brahma could find it hard to win because Muslims did not vote for him.
To politicians of modern times, people are nothing but vote banks.
Though there is no concrete proof that the killings were a direct outcome of Pramila's observations, she should have thought twice before uttering those words.
It is not that she is unaware of the ethnic conflicts that exist in the area. Why did she make such instigating observations?
In an interview to Rediff.com, former NSG chief Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary said Narendra Modi was not responsible for what happened. Do you agree?
No, not at all.
We all know that in its manifesto, the BJP's Assam unit had categorically stated that it would identify and expel all illegal immigrants staying in Assam. That was a thoroughly communal statement.
Let us not forget that the victims of the Assam violence were mostly Muslims.
Modi and his men have been spreading separatist messages across Assam for years. There is no way the BJP can shake off its responsibility now.
Do you think the National Investigation Agency probing the event will come out with the truth?
I think it could have if they got the charge earlier.
Because of the callousness of the state Congress, the process got delayed and some vital clues were lost.
What is wrong with the Congress party in Assam?
The party has lost its scruples and values. It is too eager to retain its gaddi (seat of power).
It doesn't think either of the people or of their welfare. It just wants to retain its power by hook or by crook.
Is that a problem with the Congress party across India?
Yes. The party that we had joined in our youth has lost its original colour.
As Congressmen, people like me suffer from an ideological crisis all the time.
A systematic shuddhikaran (purification) is what the party needs the most.
Image: Top: A survivor of Khagrabari village after his home was burnt down during violence. Photograph: PTI Photo.
