Return of refugees to take time: Sonia

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Congress president Sonia Gandhi here on Monday said that most of the refugees want to go back to their respective homes but are still living in fear so their return may take some more time.

Mrs Gandhi, who visited four relief camps two in Kokrajhar and two in Dhubri district, told reporters, “Most of the people want to go home but still living in fear. We are asking the chief minister and home minister to ensure that security situation is improved and they can go back to their villages.”
She said, “Naturally all refugees want to go back at the earliest, but this will take some more time till the situation is a little calmer.” Mrs Gandhi, who spoke to a number of camp inmates, said, “Once feelings are assuaged, the chief minister will make sure that they are able to go home.” It is significant that Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi had set a deadline of August 15 to rehabilitate all those uprooted in Kokrajhar violence.
Expressing her satisfaction on supply of relief materials in the camps, Ms Gandhi said, “I asked a number of camp inmates about their complain or if they are facing any problem? Here the reply was that they have no complaint. They are receiving ration every day. One or two children are unwell but doctor is here to check them.”
After visiting a relief camp in Dhubri, Ms Gandhi said, “This camp is rather congested. I have asked chief minister if something can be done and sanitation condition could improve more.”
Earlier, Congress president Sonia Gandhi arrived here in a special aircraft from New Delhi and left for trouble-torn Kokrajhar and Dhubri districts in a helicopter with home minister Sushilkumar Shinde, Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi, and Assam Pradesh Congress chief Bhubaneswar Kalita.
Mrs Gandhi was on her day-long visit to trouble-torn Western Assam almost three weeks after the violence broke out and left at least 77 people dead, and over six lakhs displaced.
Mr Shinde, who accompanied Mrs Gandhi, also reviewed the prevailing law and order scenario of the trouble-torn areas with senior state and Central government officials at Kokrajhar and Dhubri.