Assam is burning due to factional fight in Congress: ULFA

The anti-talk faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom on Friday blamed "infighting" within the ruling Congress party in Assam for the violence between Bodos and minorities.

The outfit claimed that people in Bodoland Territorial Area Districts are being made "political scapegoat" for the sake of individual ambitions of leaders.

In an email to the media, ULFA 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Baruah said that the "power struggle between Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and one of his cabinet colleagues has led to the present situation".

"Nobody is ignorant of the fact that lower Assam is burning due to the factional fight in state Congress party. The power struggle between Tarun Gogoi and one of his junior colleagues has brought a sense of personal and political frustration to the latter. This frustration has led to a sense of anger and alienation in his mind," Baruah alleged.

He further alleged that people in the BTAD are being made political scapegoats in the process.

Baruah, however, did not identify the Congress minister who is indulged in the factional fight. The ULFA leader said the violence has harmed the interest of the "greater Assamesse society".

He also termed the Bengali-speaking Muslim immigrants from erstwhile East Bengal regions as "neo-Assamesse".

Blaming the political class for inciting violence, Baruah said that the Indian government is engaged in a policy of "divide and rule".