Guwahati, July 12: The All Assam Minority Students’ Union (AAMSU) on Saturday submitted a memorandum to the Chief Secretary of Assam asking for removal of a picture from one of Assam government’s website, which has been described as a “symbolic portrayal of Indian citizens as foreigners”.

Recently, a picture which was taken during the 2012 ethnic violence in Bodoland by photographer and journalist Abdul Maleque Ahmed was used in official website of Home and Political department which portrayed the family as foreigners. The picture is of a family residing in Village- Bhawnipur under Bijni Revenue circle of Chirang district of Assam, which fled and took refuge in relief camps after violence broke out against the minority community in Bodoland.

“We found that my family members’ photo was used in government official website and branded them as Bangladeshi but it is not true. During ethnic violence in Bodoland in 2012, our family members fled from their own home after their houses were burnt down. During their escape, a journalist took their picture and now the picture is being used in some government website branding the people as Bangladeshi. We are born and brought up in India having all documents then how could we be branded as Bangladeshi. I appeal the government to delete the picture from their website because it is a shameful thing for us,” said Ibrahim Ali.

After staying nine months at the relief camp, the family members of Ibrahim Ali came back to their home in Chirang.

During the ethnic violence in BTAD in 2012, many people mostly belonging from minority community fled from burning villages on one side to safer ground across the bridge. Ahmed had clicked a photo of a group of displaced men, women and toddlers with bag and baggage in hand.

The picture became the most circulated photograph of the 2012 BTAD riots, which had left nearly 100 people dead and 4 lakh displaced.