Military columns deployed in Assam should be back in barracks

Army Commander Lt Gen Anil Chauhan on Monday expressed hope that military columns deployed in Assam, the epicentre of protests over the citizenship law, would return to barracks in a day or two as the situation in the state was "fast improving".

He said that it was the prerogative of the state administration to seek assistance of the Army to restore law and order, after having failed to handle a situation.

"Over the past three days, Army columns were deployed not just in Assam but also in Tripura. Some were kept on standby in Meghalaya, but were not deployed.

"Up until day before yesterday (Saturday), there were about 24 columns in upper Assam and 12 in lower Assam. On ground, however, just eight columns carried out flag marches. The numbers then dropped to four or five," General Officer Commanding in Chief (GoC in-C) Lt Gen Anil Chauhan said at Fort William, the headquarters of Eastern Command.

"This indicates how fast the situation is improving... Hopefully in a day or two we should be back in the barracks and the civic administration back on its feet," he said.

The GoC in-C was speaking to the media after a wreath-laying ceremony at Vijay Smarak here to commemorate India's victory over Pakistan in 1971 war.

Asked if there was any requisition for help from the government of West Bengal, which has also witnessed violent agitation over the amended Act in the past four days, he said, "You are aware that when the Army comes out in aid of civil authorities, it is on the behest of the civil administration."