Senior Congress leader Debabrata Saikia on Friday said that a recent statement of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma that "Assam was becoming a hotbed of Islamic fundamentalism" is a matter of great concern and "Jihadi or terrorist activities" in the State must be curbed.
The Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly, in a statement, said a cabinet minister had recently alleged that AIUDF has links with 'Jihadis' active in the State and that charge must be investigated.
The LoP's statement comes in the backdrop of the recent arrests of several persons with alleged links with a Bangladesh-based terror outfit from different parts of the State.
"No one with alleged links with the case must be outside the purview of the investigation. A high-level inquiry must be conducted into the recent Jihadi activities in Assam and AIUDF's alleged links with it," he said.
During the Congress rule in the State, the then Opposition parties BJP and AGP had alleged that an AIUDF MLA was having links with a fundamentalist outfit and the State Government had written to the Ministry of Home Affairs to investigate the allegation.
"Since AIUDF's name is again cropping up, there is a need for a transparent investigation. Even the CM had last year alleged that AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal was running the party with funds from a foreign fundamentalist organisation," Mr. Saikia said.
Congress will, however, keep a close watch to ensure that no innocent person is harassed in the guise of searching for suspected Jihadis, he said, adding procedures adopted in sensitive areas in the detection of terrorists must be carried out in Assam as well.
"Congress does not support any force that threatens the integrity of India. India has lost two PMs to acts of terrorism which were significant losses to our country," he added.
