The Assam Government is planning to raise a battalion of commandos specialised in jungle warfare to tackle militants who have set up base in jungles and hilly terrains. The move was initiated following the recent spate of ULFA-perpetrated violence that left at least 29 Hindi-speaking people dead in Karbi Anglong hill district.“We have decided to raise a new battalion for jungle warfare,” Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi announced here on Friday. He also said Karbi Anglong, the largest district of the state (with an area of 10,434 sq km), would be divided into two police districts soon.Gogoi, however, was not sure when exactly the proposed battalion will become deployable or where would the jawans be trained. “It will take time. We are yet to start the process of recruitment,” the Chief Minister said.“Karbi Anglong will be soon divided into two police districts as it is a huge district with hilly terrain and thick jungles,” Gogoi said. Interestingly, the largest district of Assam, which also shares inter-state border with Nagaland and Meghalaya, has only six police stations. “We are also increasing the number of police stations in the district,” he said.However, the Chief Minister said the impression that only Hindi-speaking people were being targeted or killed in the state was not true. “There is an impression created outside the region that only Hindi-speaking people are getting killed in the state. The reality is that more Assamese people have been killed by the ULFA and other groups in comparison to those belonging to the Hindi-speaking communities,” Gogoi said.He said that out of 1,212 people killed by militants since he took over as Chief Minister in May 2001, only 188 were Hindi-speaking people.Gogoi also took a dig at the BJP and wondered why the party’s national leaders rush to Assam only when the militants target members of the Hindi-speaking communities. “What pains me is that the BJP Parliamentary delegation and the Samajwadi Party express concern only when Hindi-speaking people are killed. Where were they when 10 innocent children were killed in Dhemaji?” Gogoi asked.
