GUWAHATI
More than 90% of extremism in Assam ended with the signing of the peace accord between the government and the pro-talks faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) in New Delhi on December 29, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on January 1.
There have been 11 accords with extremist groups since the BJP and its allies came to power in the State in 2016 and only the anti-talks ULFA (Independent) headed by Paresh Baruah remains to be mainstreamed, he told journalists during a New Year interaction.
The ULFA (I) operates from the Sagaing Division of Myanmar across southern Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, and Baruah is believed to be based on the Myanmar-China border.
“The ULFA, which was formed to achieve a sovereign Assam, will change its charter of demands if Paresh Baruah visits the State even for 15 days to experience the change and the safeguards we have provided for the indigenous people,” Dr. Sarma said.
Among the safeguards, he cited the delimitation exercise in 2023 through which “106 Assembly seats across the State have been preserved for the indigenous communities”. After the clauses in the peace accord with the pro-talks ULFA are implemented, the next delimitations would be based on the same formula and only people inhabiting the State for 200-300 years can contest these seats, he said.
“I do not doubt that Paresh Baruah loves Assam. But if he comes, he will know from which side the situation has remained problematic. Illegal immigrants from Bangladesh are not recognised as a problem in the ULFA’s charter of demands. What is the point of independence if an Assamese cannot become the Chief Minister (head) of that independent Assam?” Dr. Sarma asked.
He said Baruah, who moved out of Assam 30 years ago seeking sovereignty, would change his mind and his outfit’s outlook. “What independent Assam ULFA will achieve by going to Dhubri and Mankachar?” he asked, alluding to the problem of illegal migration.
Dhubri and Mankachar are Bengali Muslim-majority districts on the Bangladesh border.
The Chief Minister admitted it would not be easy to bring Baruah, adamant on the issue of discussing sovereignty, on board. “We will keep talking to him and it will yield results one day,” he said.
He also said he has instructed the police not to track the phones of people Baruah calls up now and then. “The more he talks, the more he will know the mindset of the people and what they want. Let us keep informing him that we do not want sovereignty. He is fighting for the people of Assam but the people of Assam do not want sovereignty,” Dr. Sarma said.
