ULFA sets 3-month deadline for its chairman to return

The anti-talks faction of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Assam on Sunday made the 'last' call to its 'chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa, to  come back to the fold of the parent outfit (unbound ULFA) and resume the responsibility of the 'chairman' by giving up the 'unrealistic' path of dialogue with the government to protect the identify of Assamese people without attaining 'sovereignty' for Assam.

The ULFA (anti-talks) given three-months time for Rajkhowa to respond to this or, 'someone suitable' would be appointed in the position to carry forward the 'fight of the ULFA to attain sovereignty' of Assam.

In a statement issued to the media, ULFA's assistant publicity secretary, Arunodoy Assam also called upon all those who were now with Rajkhowa to come back to continue with the struggle for 'sovereignty of Assam' that can't be negotiable at all.

The ULFA statement said, "Everybody knows that the sole aim of the ULFA is to establish a sovereign Assam, respecting the right of self-determination of indigenous people and weighing the socio-economic conditions prevailing in the geographical area to bring into practice scientific socialism."

"But at the moment our chairman (Rajkhowa) being detached from the organisation and living at his residence under bail conditions imposed by the colonial administration and surrounded by bodyguards provided by the enemy power in the name of so called dialogue with the government, is talking off an accord that is not tune with the avowed goals of the ULFA," it said.

"Sovereignty and independence is not negotiable which he (Rajkhowa) used to maintain many a times from the chair. But after being in the prison he has stopped insisting of sovereignty demand and has been talking about safeguarding the identity of Assam along with some minor issues and this has been baffling for the ULFA and the people of Assam," the statement said.

It may be mentioned that the ULFA chairman of many of his senior colleagues were arrested in Bangladesh over two years back and handed over to Indian authorities. He was thrown into jail before releasing on bail so that he could take part in a dialogue with the government. However, the faction of the outfit led by the 'commander in chief' Paresh Barua has remained out of the dialogue process as it was not game to talk on any other issues other than the demand for sovereignty of Assam.