2012 Assam violence

2012 Assam communal violence.
The violence took place in the districts of Kokrajhar (top left, coloured red), Dhubri (bottom left, coloured red) and Chirang (formed out of parts of Bongaigaon (top right, coloured pink)).
LocationAssam, India
Date20 July 2012 (2012-07-20) – 15 September 2012 (2012-09-15)
Attack type
Ethnic-communal Mass violence and attack on each other between Bodos and Bengali Muslims.
Deaths108[1]

In July 2012, violence in the Indian state of Assam broke out with riots between indigenous Bodos and Bengali Muslims (locally called or known by the name Miyas) in the Bodoland region of North East, India.[2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] The first incident was reported to have taken place on 20 July 2012.[10] At least 108 people died[1] and over 400,000 people were displaced into 270 relief camps, after being displaced from almost 400 villages.[11][12] Eleven people have been reported missing.[13][14]

On 27 July 2012, Assam's Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi blamed the UPA led national government for a "delay in army deployment to riot-hit areas".[15] The next day, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited the relief camps in Kokrajhar and called the recent violence a blot on the face of India. Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram visited the state on Monday, 30 July to review the security situation and the relief and rehabilitation measures being taken.[16]

Lok Sabha member from Kokrajhar, Sansuma Khunggur Bwiswmuthiary blamed illegal immigration for the violence in the state.[17] The Election Commissioner of India, H.S. Brahma, said that of the 27 districts in Assam, 11 of them will be shown to have a Muslim majority when the 2011 census figures are published.[4][18] Singh was criticised for not dealing with the flood of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.[19] The violence and exodus of thousands of people from Northeast India reportedly led to a series of incessant protests in Assam, at multiple locations, during the months of August–September. The protesters' main demand was expeditious detection and deportation of illegal infiltrators from Assam. On 15 September, at a convention of non-political indigenous ethnic groups, organisations representing the Bodo, Dimasa, Tiwa, Deuri, Karbi, Garo, Rabha, Sonowal Kacharis tribes and other indigenous communities decided to form a coordination committee for the cause. The tribal leaders said illegal immigration has threatened the existence, right to land and resources of all indigenous people of the entire state, and it was not limited to BTAD alone.[20]

  1. ^ a b "Assam cop triggered Bodoland riots: CBI". The Times of India. 4 December 2014.
  2. ^ "Assam violence due to Bodo-Muslim feud". The Indian Express. 17 August 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2013
  3. ^ "Media fueling the myth of Muslim infiltrators". The Shillong Times. 13 August 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2013
  4. ^ a b "How to share Assam". Indian Express. 28 July 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
  5. ^ "As Tensions in India Turn Deadly, Some Say Officials Ignored Warning Signs. Asia Pacific. 28 July 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2013
  6. ^ Key facts about Assam violence Archived 27 July 2012 at the Wayback Machine. hindustantimes.com. 26 July 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2013
  7. ^ 'External elements' behind Assam violence: Govt. Zeenews.com, 6 August 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2013
  8. ^ Demographic change and Assam violence Archived 3 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine. The Pioneer.
  9. ^ "Assam violence: Home Minister [Sushil kumar Shinde] to visit state on Monday – Top 10 developments". NDTV. 28 July 2012. Archived from the original on 28 July 2012. Retrieved 28 July 2012.
  10. ^ "9 killed, curfew clamped in Kokrajhar". The Assam Tribune. 21 July 2012. Archived from the original on 3 November 2013. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
  11. ^ Sandeep Joshi; K. Balchand; Sushanta Talukdar (25 July 2012). "Crack down on ring leaders, Centre tells Assam". The Hindu. Chennai, India. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  12. ^ "India's PM promises help to riot victims". Al Jazeera. 28 July 2012. Retrieved 28 July 2012.
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference out12 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ "Assam violence continues for fifth day, toll now 44". First Post. 27 July 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
  15. ^ "Under fire, Assam CM blames central govt". Hindustan Times. 27 July 2012. Archived from the original on 28 July 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
  16. ^ "Assam violence: Home Minister Chidambaram to visit state on Monday – Top 10 developments". NDTV.com. Archived from the original on 29 July 2012. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
  17. ^ "Live: Advani loses vote on adjournment motion over Assam violence". firstpost.com. 8 August 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
  18. ^ Dasgupta, Swapan (3 August 2012). "Twist in the tale". Calcutta, India: Telegraphindia.com. Archived from the original on 11 September 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
  19. ^ "Assam violence a fallout of vote bank politics". NewIndianExpress.com. 5 August 2012. Archived from the original on 24 February 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
  20. ^ "Extinction fear haunts indigenous Assamese". The Pioneer. 17 September 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2012.