THE Assam government is ready to hold talks with the hardliner ULFA (Independent) and doors for negotiations with its chief Paresh Baruah are open, an Assam minister said in the state Assembly during point of order.
■ Paresh Baruah | Credit Rajeev Bhattacharyya
The Barua–led faction has remained outside the ambit of negotiations even as a peace pact has been signed with the pro–talks group in Delhi.
Baruah conveyed his openness to peace talks, saying he is waiting for Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sharma’s word on convincing the Delhi to discuss the sovereignty issue during negotiations
Earlier, ULFA (Independent) chief Paresh Baruah conveyed his openness to peace talks, saying he is waiting for Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sharma’s word on convincing the Delhi to discuss the sovereignty issue during negotiations. This comes a day after the Centre and Assam government signed a memorandum of settlement with ULFA faction in New Delhi.
”The ULFA had split into two groups, and the one led by Arabinda Rajkhowa and Anup Chetia, had come forward for talks and the peace pact was signed. The other faction, led by Barua, is yet to engage in talks and rechristened itself as ULFA (I)”, the minister said.
”The government has been repeatedly urging Paresh Baruah to come for talks and we feel that peace will be further strengthened in the state if his faction also come over ground”, the minister added.
The matter was raised by opposition Congress MLA Kamalakshya Dey Purkayastha, who raised apprehensions over the utility of the peace agreement when one of the faction was not a signatory.
Congress MLA Kamalakshya Dey Purkayastha, who raised apprehensions over the utility of the peace agreement when one of the faction was not a signatory. The pro–talks ULFA had signed the agreement with the Central and state government in New Delhi on December 29 last year
The pro–talks ULFA had signed the agreement with the Central and state government in New Delhi on December 29 last year.
The Assam minister, replying to a question by another Congress legislator Bharat Chandra Narah, laid in the House that the peace agreement with the ULFA has 12 clauses.
■ ULFA’s pro–talks faction’s signing of a tripartite Memorandum of Settlement with the Centre and the Assam government in Delhi
Among these are clauses dealing with political demands, Scheduled Tribe status for six communities, reservations in education and jobs, illegal migration, and matters dealing with identity, culture, heritage, etc.
The minister said a joint committee comprising representatives of Central and state governments and the ULFA will monitor the implementation of the various clauses from time to time. ■
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