JOIN USPrime Minister Manmohan Singh reached strife-torn Kokrajhar on his visit to Assam to take stock of the situation on Saturday. Manmohan Singh visited two relief camps in Kokrajhar and interacted with the people there. "My government will do everything possible to help the victims.
We are here to talk to the people directly," he said.
He said that this was not the time for recriminations and the country needs to first help the people to rehabilitate and bring peace.
Earlier in the day, the PM's helicopter returned midway from a flight to Kokrajhar district on Saturday due to a technical problem.
The Prime Minister's helicopter returned 15 minutes after take off from the Lokopriyo Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati, official sources said.
Initial reports said the Prime Minister's helicopter and two others with his entourage returned to the airport because of bad weather, but airport authority sources later said that the cause was a technical problem the details of which could only be confirmed by the PMO's office.
The Prime Minister's programme was, however, not cancelled and he would leave for Kokrajhar by an IAF helicopter after routine security checks, the sources said.
The Prime Minister was scheduled to review the situation with the BTAD authorities and visit two relief camps.
Earlier, Singh arrived by a special aircraft from New Delhi.
Assam Governor JB Patnaik, chief minister Tarun Gogoi, his cabinet colleagues, chief secretary NK Das and Director General of Police JN Chowdhury were present at the airport.