Issuing 'death threats' towards the police while attending a session of the Parliament is perhaps not quite de rigueur. Rajya Sabha MP and Mizo National Front leader K Vanlalvena is now facing the wrath of the Assam Police and others for some rather problematic remarks that he had recently made. The Police has promised to take action, and will reportedly question the lawmaker.
Violent clashes had erupted along the Assam-Mizoram border earlier this month, with several police officials losing their lives. Others including civillians had been injured in the fray. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday informed that six Assam Police jawans had lost their lives while defending the constitutional boundary of the state.
"There was no intention to kill anyone. But we had to retaliate as it is our stand that we would not open fire first. When they wanted to surrender, we gave them the opportunity to escape unhurt, otherwise, many more could have died," Mizoram Inspector General of Police (IGP) John Neihlaia told news agency ANI.
Speaking to the media outside the Parliament on Wednesday, Vanlalvena said that over 200 policemen had entered Mizoram and pushed officials from the state away from their posts. "They gave firing orders first, before we fired. They are lucky that we didn't kill them all. If they come again, we shall kill them all," he was quoted as saying.
The remarks have triggered a wave of outrage, with GP Singh, Special Director General of Police (DGP), Assam Police stating that a team of state police including CID officers were leaving for Delhi to take lawful action relating to the conspiracy behind the incident. Citing the Rajya Sabha MP's interview, he said that this was an indication that Vanlalvena had had an active role in the conspiracy.
"Assam Police has prepared a picture gallery which is being further updated of Mizoram Police personnel and civilian miscreants who fired at Assam Police on July 26th. They would be brought to law," he assured. The state police has also announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh for "information leading to arrest of each of the individuals involved in the barbaric killing of the Assam Police personnel".
The Assam Police officials tweets have however sparked fresh outrage in Mizoram, with MLA Robert Romawia Royte and others contending that the remarks were "unbecoming" of a person of his stature. "Please respect the privilege of peoples’ representative like an MP who has been performing his duty under oath,' he censured.
