Leader of Opposition L K Advani [Images], who was among the first political leaders to fly to Assam to take stock of the situation after the serial blasts in the north eastern state, was on Friday shown black flags and asked to go back by angry relatives of the victims.

ISF-IM claims responsibility for Assam blasts

A host of political leaders descended in Assam, a day after the blasts which claimed 77 lives, but had to face public ire.

When Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil [Images] went to Kokrajhar on Friday afternoon, where 21 people died, an angry crowd demanded assurance that their lives and properties would be protected.

The All Bodo Students' Union (ABSU) was all set to take out a protest march, but was prevented by the authorities.

Patil is scheduled to review a high-level meeting with the state chief minister, ministers and senior officials at Raj Bhawan later in the day, official sources said.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [Images] is scheduled to arrive in Guwahati on Saturday on a day-long visit.

Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Basudev Acharia and politburo member Brinda Karat also visited the injured at the Mohendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital and the other blast sites.

Moreover, the arrival of the political leaders has also posed problems for both the law enforcing authorities and the medical personnel attending the injured in the various hospitals and the blast sites.

"The arrival of VVIPs and VIPs, though we were prepared for their visit, poses a problem for the security forces particularly in sensitive and vulnerable areas," said a senior police official on condition of anonymity.

Doctors and nurses attending to the injured at the Guwahati Medical College Hospital and Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital also faced several problems as several VIPs arrived along with large number of people.

"The injured are affected with the arrival of so many people and it also creates problem for us, while we are providing treatment to them," said a junior doctor at GMCH.

Common people are also irked with the descent of so many political leaders following the serial blasts.

"Why do leaders come now to gain political mileage by sympathising with us instead of providing us with proper security to our lives and properties," asked Biswajit Saikia, a lawyer.

Additional Reportage: PTI