All ULFA leaders, members adopt surname 'Asom'

The anti-talks faction of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Assam on Friday announced that the surname of its leaders and cadres would be same from now and the common surname would be 'Asom'.

In a statement issued to the media through e-mail, the ULFA faction said the move reflected the outfit's commitment towards expediting the evolution of the 'great Assamese nation' irrespective of caste, creed and religion.

The ULFA statement said, "The process of formation of the great Assamese nation was disrupted once Assam went under forceful occupation of colonial Indian rulers. Though the intellectuals of Assam have tried had to analyse the reasons that were hampering the formation of a great Assamese nation, they have failed to project that the real reason behind all problems of Assam is the continued occupation of Assam by Indian colonial rulers'."

The statement added, "In a fresh attempt to revive and accelerate the process of formation of the great Assamese nation, the ULFA has decided to start it from the bottom of the organisation. So, we have decided to replace surnames of all our members with Asom."

Incidentally, the surname of a person in Assam usually reflects his/her caste, clan, tribe and religion.