The dust has hardly settled on the issue of people from the north-eastern parts of the country fleeing from cities in the south than the good news trickles in that some, realising the folly of having given in to rumours obviously fuelled by communal forces, are thinking of returning to resume their lives and livelihoods.
The designs of fringe elements taking advantage of community tensions in Assam and the resultant violence must be thwarted. Violence of any kind, by people of any faith, should be condemned by those whose only wish is to pursue their lives in peace. While the administration is known to do all that very well, the problem lies in its slothful ways from the past when even bad news took time to travel.
The states must act with far greater speed to counter the kind of negative propaganda made possible in the age of instant communications. Mischievous rumours must be countered by members of the state going on television and using Twitter and Facebook to send out reassuring messages while the police can send a clear message with their active presence in areas where people live in fear.
Times have changed so much that things happen in the push of a button rather than in slow-motion when governments would institute probes and take their time to fix guilt and reassure people with pithy homilies. The nefarious designs of the communal can be nipped in the bud ultimately only by the people themselves. Governments can help by being quick to act and react.