[Assam] “a fellow Indian (of Assam)” in Indian PM’S speech means an Indian version of Lebensborn generation in Assam that what MM Singh means ?

[Bartta Bistar]

[image: *]  Govt firm on integrity, unity of nation

[image: *]  http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/details.asp?id=mar0907/at01
>From Our Spl Correspondent
 NEW DELHI, March 8 – Reflecting a toughening of stand, Prime Minister, Dr
Manmohan Singh said Government of India would never compromise the unity and
integrity of the country nor allow those who killed innocent people in Assam
to go unpunished. The Prime Minister who was replying to the Motion of
Thanks on President's Address to the Parliament, this afternoon, dwelt at
length on Assam and the North-East and clarified his Government's stand on
range of issues from internal security to illegal influx from Bangladesh. In
a way, he sought to address the grievance aired by several MPs over the
brief mention about the region.

"Advani had referred to Assam and stated ULFA was not even mentioned. He
wanted to know what we are doing to identify and deport illegal immigrants,"
Dr Singh said.

"Mere mention of one insurgent group or the other will not serve any
purpose. What is required is the will and resolve to maintain peace and
order and defeat any terrorist design. About this, there should be no doubt
whatsoever about the firmness of our resolve," he said.

"I have always condemned violence and extremism in Assam, as elsewhere and
never hesitated to say that we can negotiate only with those who want peace,
not with those who kill innocent people," the Prime Minister said.

"We will never hesitate to sit down and talk to a fellow Indian – however,
misguided he or she may be — if such conversation can bring peace to our
people," Dr Singh said.

"But we will never compromise the unity and integrity of our country or
allow those who kill innocent people to go unpunished. It is with this view
that we began a dialogue with the People's Consultative Group so that it may
gradually extend to ULFA as well," he said.

"As talks did not make headway, we continued with action by our security
forces," he said.

Claiming that the situation in the North-East and Jammu and Kashmir has
improved, the Prime Minister said the UPA Government and the Ministry of
Home Affairs have a better track record to show than that of the previous
government. Be it the North-East, J&K or Naxal affected districts, the
overall internal security situation today is far better than what was seen
during the previous government, he contended.

About the IM (DT) Act, the Prime Minister defended his government stand,
arguing that whatever measures were taken, was to protect the minorities
from harassment. In Assam, the large elements of the minority communities
generally fear that the process of detection of foreigners could degenerate
into an instrument of harassment of minorities, he said.

It is for this reason to reassure them, not to protect illegal immigrants
but to protect the genuine citizens of the country that the IM (DT) Act was
enacted. "I know the IM (DT) Act was struck down by the Supreme Court. Then,
we acted under the existing Foreigners (Tribunal) Order, 1964. A separate
procedure for detection of illegal migrants was laid down for Assam, which
was struck down by the Supreme Court as being necessary.

Asserting that Government has continued to work under the existing laws for
detection of illegal immigrants, Dr Singh said Tribunals have been
constituted under the 1964 Order and work was going on. "There is no laxity
or lack of commitment on our part in detecting and deporting illegal
migrants, the Prime Minister.

The reply to the Motion of Thanks had generated much heat after the
Opposition Leader attacked the Government for failing to protect the lives
of the Hindi-speaking people and the Government's dilly-dallying tactics
vis-à-vis ULFA peace process. Advani had also alleged that Assam Government
was hand in glove with ULFA and it had struck a deal ahead of the National
Games.

Members hailing from the North-East including Khiren Rijiju, Tapir Gaon,
Sarbananda Sonowal and Dr Arun Kumar Sarma had also participated in the
discussion.
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