Govt must declare Nellie victims as martyrs, pay remuneration to families: ABMSU

BAKSA: Activists of the All BTC Minority Students' Union (ABMSU) paid their respects to the Nellie massacre victims who were brutally killed during a 6-hour period on this very day in 1983.

Taison Hussein, General Secretary of the ABMSU, said that the government of Assam should declare the deceased as 'martyrs' and make arrangements to pay financial remuneration to their families.

"To date, the thousands of people who were murdered have not gotten justice. The government should give justice to their families. This is most gruesome murder incident in the history of Assam. However, the government, instead of giving justice, has not even launched an investigation into the matter. Therefore, we demand the government to deliver justice and also ensure that remuneration is doled out to the families that have been affected by this heinous act," Hussain told newsmen.

Pointing out that the victims of the 'Sikh massacre' got justice, he said that the victims of Nellie -- despite being in the same country -- have been ignored.

"All the chargesheets have been dropped. Which begs the question -- why is nobody taking interest in handing out justice to the minority people? We urge the government to treat those who were were murdered with dignity and give their kith and kin what they deserve," he added further.

The Nellie massacre took place in central Assam during a six-hour period in the morning of 18 February 1983. The massacre claimed the lives of 2,191 people (unofficial figures run at more than 10,000) from 14 villages—Alisingha, Khulapathar, Basundhari, Bugduba Beel, Bugduba Habi, Borjola, Butuni, Dongabori,Indurmari, Mati Parbat, Muladhari, Mati Parbat no. 8, Silbheta, Borburi and Nellie—of Nagaon district. Most of the murdered persons belonged to the minority community.