The Commander-in-Chief of the United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I), Paresh Baruah, has raised question over writer Jayashree Goswami Mahanta being conferred Padma Shri for 2018.
Jayshree Goswami Mahanta, who is a former Rajya Sabha Member and wife of former Chief Minister and senior leader of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), a partner in the BJP-led coalition government in Assam, was conferred the honour on January 25, 2018 for her contribution in the field of literature ahead of the Republic Day celebrations.
However, questioning Goswami Mahanta’s contributions towards the society, Baruah asked: “How has Jayashree received Padmashree?
ULFA-I C-in-C Baruah questioned, “What has Jayashree done for Assam’s social life?”
Bringing serious allegations against Jayashree, Baruah linked her with Assam’s infamous secret killings.
The secret killings, which took place from 1998 to 2001 when Prafulla Kumar Mahanta-led AGP was in power, have been marked as the darkest chapter in the political history of Assam.
Due to secret killings, the AGP failed to return to power in 2011 Assembly elections. After the fall of the AGP government, the secret killings stopped.
The Justice KN Saikia Commission indicted Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, who also held the Home portfolio, for the ‘extra-constitutional killings’ in Assam during 1998-2001.
Paresh Baruah has alleged: “Jayashree was the main conspirator of secret killings.”
The ULFA-I leader further stated: “I don’t hold Mahanta 100 per cent responsible,” adding, “It was Jayashree who instigated Prafulla Mahanta to carry out secret killings.”
During every election in Assam, the opposition parties raise the issue of secret killings linking Prafulla Kumar Mahanta and the AGP, which he had led in that dark period.
