Post-blasts, BJP, AGP say Gogoi must go

The state BJP added voice to the AGP demand for Gogoi’s ouster. Its North-East general secretary V. Satish said the Congress-led government has failed to bring the law and order situation under control. ‘‘We do not normally seek Central rule in any state. But look at the situation. It has become very alarming. There were eight blasts in 24 hours. Is there a government,’’ Satish asked.

The BJP leader also wondered whether the Centre was aware of the ‘‘grave’’ situation in Assam and alleged that while the ULFA was in the grip of the ISI, the Congress government was under the grip of the same forces too.

The ULFA has carried out a number of blasts since Wednesday evening. While a powerful grenade exploded inside a cinema hall, killing one and injuring eight, in Dibrugarh, a power transmission centre was attacked at Sadiya a few hours later. A portion of the railway track between Chautara and Fakiragram was also blown off on Wednesday night.

On Thursday, two blasts near the Guwahati refinery left seven people, including two newspaper reporters injured, while an attack on a BSF vehicle near Sapatgram in Goalpara district claimed the lives of a girl and two BSF jawans. Nine persons were injured in a blast at Tangla in Udalguri district on Thursday evening, while two persons were killed and 40 injured when a powerful bomb exploded in a bus station in Gossaigaon the same day.

While Gogoi told a press conference on Thursday that the law and order was ‘‘bad’’, his police force has failed to make a breakthrough in any of the cases. ‘‘The ULFA has now waged a war against the people of Assam,’’ was all that the Chief Minister could say.

Meanwhile, Assam Police Inspector-General (intelligence) K.N. Sharma said they have enough evidence to suggest that the ISI was behind these blasts. ‘‘We have enough proof that the ULFA was doing all these at the behest of the ISI,’’ Sharma said.

A statement attributed to ULFA commander-in-chief Paresh Barua, published by a few local dailies here today, said the outfit would not ‘‘let Delhi and Dispur sleep in peace’’. Claiming responsibility for the recent blasts, Barua has, however, denied any involvement in the Dhemaji blast.