Rumours continue to scare Northeast people

Throughout the day on Thursday, Karnataka chief minister Jagadish Shettar, Karnataka home minister R Ashok, the police DGP and the Bangalore Police Commissioner promised and assured that they will be protected and that there is nothing to worry.

However, the assurances did not seem to be working. More and more people were getting ready to leave Bangalore. State officials claim that thousands of people from the Northeast have already left Bangalore, fearing a backlash over the Assam violence. What is interesting though is that the source of the rumours - which is being probed by the IB and the state police - is yet to be ascertained.

"There is no problem, we want to go back home as our parents are calling us. They are giving us all security and protection but we don't want to take chances, regarding any violent attacks," said one of the students leaving Bangalore.

The home ministry, too, has ordered surveillance of social media sites to check for people who are distorting facts and circulating false information. A similar situation persists in Mysore, too, where a Tibetan was killed just days back. Hyderabad, too, is seeing a mass exodus.

The Prime Minister also reassured the country. He said, "At all cost we will ensure peace and harmony in the country. We would like all state governments to work with local communities to this effect."

Apart from Bangalore and Hyderabad, there were concerns in Maharashtra as well. In Mumbai's Kurla Terminus, hundreds of people from the Northeast were seen heading home. This came despite assurances from chief minister Prithviraj Chavan that full security will be provided to them.

The state home minister RR Patil will be meeting Pune police officials to discuss security arrangements. Panic hit the city when a few Northeast students were attacked in the Camp area last week. Thirteen people have been arrested for the attack. The police have also dismissed the MMS clip doing the rounds, calling it doctored images of the alleged violence in Assam.

Meanwhile, the BJP is expected to move an adjournment motion on the issue in Parliament on Friday, even as there is a rising demand for politicians to move beyond partisan politics.

Big questions:

- How can this growing fear psychosis among the Northeast people be controlled?

- How can the government of Karnataka restore their confidence?

- What are community leaders doing to ensure safety and security of the Northeast people?

- Is this the result of alienation of the Northeast people in other parts of India?

- Has an attempt been made to give the situation a communal colour by mischief-makers?

- Is the central government guilty of showing leniency to the Tarun Gogoi government for failing to control violence in Assam?