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SMS drive against terror gathers steam

SMS drive against terror gathers steam

Author: Naresh Mitra
Publication: The Times of India
Date: November 3, 2008
URL: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-3666645,prtpage-1.cms

Away from newspaper headlines and the glare of cameras, a spontaneous SMS campaign against infiltration and terror attacks is gathering momentum in Guwahati.

Most of the SMSs blame Bangladeshi infiltrators for spreading terror and planning the devastating serial blasts on Thursday that left 79 dead across Assam. The text messages appeal to residents to be vigilant, boycott Bangladeshis and not even employ them.

That would be the only way to prevent terror strikes in the future, the SMSs assert. Police, however, said that they have not come across such SMSs so far and even if they did, they could do little about them.

"I don't see anything wrong in making people aware on the danger of infiltration through SMSs. Undoubtedly, the unchecked influx of Bangladeshis has created an extensive terror network in the region. And if the menace is not checked, there will be more such strikes," said Shubra Roy Choudhury, a book-seller in Panbazar.

The anti-Bangladeshi campaign got a fresh boost this July after a Gauhati high court judgment indicted the government for not doing anything to check infiltration. Assam shares a 263-km porous border with Bangladesh. The court had pointed out that the state was facing "external aggression and internal disturbance" from illegal migrants from Bangladesh.

After the court judgment, the all powerful All Assam Students' Union (Aasu) had warned that if the influx of Bangladeshis was not stopped, India would have to bear the brunt of terror strikes. The student body claimed that since HuJI was suspected to be involved in the Bangalore and Ahmedabad serial blasts in July, there was a high chance that terrorists were using Assam as a safe corridor.

"Thursday's blasts show that it's high time we did something to stop infiltration. At least people are using SMSs to spread awareness. The government has done precious little to prevent infiltration," said Abhijit Kakati, a Guwahati resident.

Though minority organizations have expressed support to anti-infiltration drives, they see such campaigns as a cause for worry. They fear that members of the minority community would be stereotyped as infiltrators and harassed.


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