Here we go again

Three bombs exploded in Assam on Thursday as Home Minister P. Chidambaram arrived in Guwahati. October 30, 2008 had seen deadly blasts across Assam that left about 90 dead, attacks supposedly carried out by the National Democratic Front of Bodoland. A train blast caused casualties on December 2, 2008 and the Rajdhani escaped narrowly on December 25. Assam is back to square one, even as the rest of the Northeast seems to have arrived at visible calm. There are too many problems and too many players in Assam 8212; each with its own agenda, but all these agendas existing on the cusp of identity politics and economic competition. The United Liberation Front of Asom is just one player and problem, albeit the most dangerous, indeed primary, one.

The anti-foreigner agitation begun by the All Asom Students Union almost 30 years ago indirectly gave birth to the ULFA, founded as a 8220;revolutionary8221; organisation to liberate Assam from the 8220;colonial8221; Indian state. 8220;Foreigners8221; at the time meant both Indians from other states and Bangladeshi immigrants, whose influx into the state is still seen as an economic, political and cultural threat. But the ULFA considers 8220;Indians8221; a bigger threat and has made the expulsion of Bangladeshis secondary to that of the former. This was also its strategy to procure help from its jihadi and ISI patrons. Expelled from Bhutan in 2003, the ULFA has since been using its traditional bases in Bangladesh and Myanmar.

But Sheikh Hasina8217;s election could pose a threat to the ULFA; it might intensify its efforts to find a safe haven in China.

Assam is a sustained government failure. While the discredited IMDT Act was self-defeating in its inability to expel illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, the state Congress itself is still loath to act on the issue because of vote-bank considerations. The ULFA doesn8217;t enjoy popular support, and it is debatable if even one per cent Assamese desire 8220;independence8221;. But neither immigrants from other Indian states nor the Assamese are happy. The Centre and the state must, if possible in conjunction with Bangladesh, re-devise the strategy on militancy and act against illegal immigrants who have come to play a dominant role in the state8217;s politics.