Gogoi vows constant vigil against ULFA

"There will be no let up in vigil against the banned ULFA (United Liberation Front of Asom) now onwards under any circumstances," vowed Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi even as the violence-ravaged Upper Assam districts are just limping back to normalcy.

A high-level official meeting has been convened by the Union Home Ministry in New Delhi on Thursday to work out a fresh strategy against the belligerent ULFA militants. The Union home secretary, defence secretary, chief secretary of Assam, director general of Assam police, besides others, will attend the meeting.

Even as additional columns of army moved deep into ULFA bastions in Upper Assam districts, Gogoi said, "A decision has been taken to intensify operation against ULFA to beat the challenge posed by the group. There will be no let up in the vigil by the security forces even after killings stop to disallow the militants to regroup."

Gogoi appealed to terror-struck migrant workers from Bihar not to leave the state as the people of the state were very much dependent on the services provided by them.

He said there was a large population of Hindi-speaking people who have been living in the state for generations as part of the greater Assamese society.

The state government has set up temporary shelters guarded round-the-clock by paramilitary forces for migrant workers from Bihar who work in brick kilns in remote parts of Upper Assam. These brick kiln workers stand vulnerable against ULFA attacks.

Gogoi informed that besides army personnel, a total of 140 companies of paramilitary force personnel were now deployed in the state to mount vigil against ULFA designs. ULFA ultras gunned down 61 persons in Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Sivasagar, Golaght and Dhemaji districts of Upper Assam since Friday last, while nine other persons including five policemen were killed in two separate incidents in Karbi Anglong and Kokrajhar districts.

Gogoi on Wednesday painted a bleak picture on the possibility of talks with the banned ULFA, saying the top leaders of the group who were under grip of Pakistani Inter Services Intelligence just can't come over for holding dialogue.

He, however, clarified that the government hadn't yet closed the door for talks.