GUWAHATI: Like every year, the state government had organised a condolence meet programme in memory of those who were killed in the 2008 bomb blasts which rocked Assam and left 53 dead in Guwahati alone.
A decade later, the wounds of losing their family and friends are still fresh in the minds of family members of the deceased who attended the programme.
State education and GDD minister Siddhartha Bhattacharya, deputy commissioner of Kamrup (Metro), Virendra Mittal and police officials among others were present during the occasion on October 30 to pay their respects to the blast victims.
According to officials, the state government had provided compensation to all the blast victims. The Assam government had provided Rs 3 lakhs each to the next of kin of the deceased.
Further, Rs 50,000 each was given to the 238 persons who sustained serious injuries while Rs 10,000 was provided to people with simple injuries.
In 2015, the then Kamrup (Metro) deputy commissioner, M Angamuthu, had announced that apart from the compensation given by the state government, the next of kin of the deceased had also received an additional Rs 3 lakhs directly from the centre as a three-year lock in account.
Further, according to officials, as per the rules of the Assam as well the central government, there is no provision to provide jobs to next of kin of the families affected by extremism.
Authorities said that the families of the victims had been made aware about the job issue years ago and had understood. Additionally, some of them had also brought forth the issue of improper payment of widow pension and Indira Awas Yojana and the government had assured them of all possible help.
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However, on the other hand, the family members of those killed in the blasts feel that the government has not done enough for them. They informed G Plus that they feel as if the officials are not concerned about their plight.
“The government organises one programme every year to mark the occasion but are least bothered during the rest of the year. Even during the programme, none of the officials come up to us to ask about our well being or how we are conducting our lives,” complained a woman who had lost her husband in the blast which occurred at Ganeshguri.
Family members of some of the victims also lamented the fact that the government did not provide them with any jobs after the incident.
Throwing some light on this, Siddhartha Bhattacharya informed, “It is not possible for us to provide jobs to everyone. When this incident occurred a decade ago, the state government had helped them in every way so that their children can go ahead get educated. Treatment to the victims was also provided.”
He added that the families had also informed government officials that their children are studying and doing well.
“Now suddenly if they ask for jobs for their children, it gets difficult. I told them that how can we snatch away someone else’s right for the same position when the other person might have more merit. Will it be the right thing to do?” said Bhattacharya.
Government officials said that they would be happy to assist if the families need help in some other form; however, they have some restrictions when it comes to providing a job.
National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) chairman Ranjan Daimary, prime accused in the October 30 Assam serial bomb blast case, was granted bail by the Kamrup district and sessions court in April 2013.
Daimary was arrested by the Bangladesh Rifles in May 2010 and was handed over to the Indian authorities. He was then produced before the Kamrup court and was later sent to the Gauhati Central jail.
He was, however, granted a conditional bail in 2013 and has been out on bail ever since. The NDFB chief was granted bail against two sureties of Rs 3 lakhs each. Further, Daimary was restricted from moving out of the state without permission.
The court also asked him to submit his passport and driving license.