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Mohammed Uzair Shaikh
Digital Reporter. Neutralist. Tackling 'Alt Right', 'Ctrl Left'. For queries, contact at mohammed.uzair@corp.india.com. ... Read More
New Delhi, Aug 5: In what makes one reminisce the horrific insurgency years in Assam, a dastardly terror attack was reported from the outskirts of Kokrajhar on Friday, which led to the death of at least 14 civilians and left more than 18 injured. Although no group has officially claimed responsibility of the attack, it has been ascertained that the no-talks faction of National Democratic Front of Bodoland, led by IK Songbijit is behind the terror strike. The group is popularly referred to as NDFB(S). Although their agenda is to create a sovereign, Christian-dominated, socialist state of Bodoland seceded from India, intelligence experts opine that NDFB(S) is a malicious outfit, which is part of the proxy war strategy of Pakistan’s ISI, only to maintain unrest in the north-eastern frontiers of India. (ALSO READ: Live Kokrajhar Attack: 14 dead, 18 injured; Sarbananda Sonowal meets NSA Ajit Doval)
Was the Kokrajhar attack an instance of Pakistan’s strategy to ‘bleed India with 1000 cuts’?
Assam’s Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has firmly claimed that “foreign hand is involved in the attack”. According to him, the design and execution of the attack makes it evident that the militants were aided by foreign forces. Here are some reasons to believe why his assessment could be correct:
– Leader of NDFB(S) is a non-Bodo
Although the outfit claims to be fighting for the rights of indigenous Bodo population, their leader himself is a non-Bodo, belonging to Karbi ethnic group. His primary reason for parting away from the Ranjan Daimary led faction of NDFB was the latter’s decision to get involved in peace talks with Indian government in 2012.
– ISI module of operation
As seen in the past two terror attacks, NDFB(S) cadres are trained in the ULFA camps of Myanmar, which have been financed by Pakistan’s ISI. The module of attack is similar to that employed by the spy agency of Pakistan in Kashmir. Similar to the militants being trained in PoK to carry out fidayeen attacks in the valley, the cadres of NDFB(S) are trained in ISI-funded ULFA camps of Myanmar. Another ISI blueprint in their style of operation is that their targets are not just the security personnel of the Indian army, but they also throw grenades in market places to create unrest in the region. The terror attack in Kokrajhar is an example to prove that the NDFB(S) is not involved in a military struggle against the Indian forces, rather its objective is to spread terror in the state of Assam.
– Supported by no-talks faction of ULFA
Rather than fighting for the rights of indigenous Bodo population, the primary agenda of NDFB(S) is to disrupt the peace process in the state. As the Indian government gears up to improve ties with the mainstream ULFA, a major terror strike is carried out by the Songbijit led faction of NDFB, which creates hostility once again in the state. In May and December 2014, the NDFB(S) carried out two gruesome attacks, claiming 49 and 76 lives respectively. Their third major terror attack, in Kokrajhar today, also comes at a time when the newly elected government of BJP is reaching out to all secessionist groups, whose primary demand has been the expulsion of Bangladeshi Muslim immigrants from the state.
– ISI sponsoring NDFB(S) to fuel insurgency in Assam?
Two arrested NDFB(S) militants Uttam Borgoyary and Minu Basumatary have revealed that most of their cadres are attracted with the lure of money. There is lack of strong pro-Bodi sentiments. The group targets youth from the poverty stricken region of the state to use them for their military operations. Intelligence experts believe that Pakistan’s ISI is the source of this influx of money to fuel insurgency in the state through NDFB(S).
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