The pro-talks faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) led by its chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa on Wednesday came down heavily on fugitive Paresh Barua, the leader of the outfit's anti-talks faction for trying to make light the ongoing peace talks between Indian government and the ULFA (Rajkhowa faction).
The ULFA doves reacted very sharply to Paresh Barua's statement that termed the ongoing peace process a futile exercise between some leaders of ULFA who were arrested and released on bail and the government of India. Barua who is now suspected to be taking shelter somewhere in northern Myanmar stated that ULFA leaders like Arabinda Rajkhowa, who are now on bail, would not be able to show enough guts to raise the demand for "sovereignty of Assam" during negotiations with the "colonial" government of India. He vowed to continue armed revolution for attaining "sovereignty" for the indigenous people of Assam till the last drop of his blood.
The pro-talks faction in a statement emailed to the media described Paresh Barua as a "commander of medieval era with outdated notions". The faction stated that Paresh Barua's concept of "sovereign Assam" was farfetched in the context of today's ground reality in Assam where different ethnic groups are agitating for statehood to determine their own future.
"It is very easy to continue revolutions by issuing statements from a safe distance away from Assam. People of Assam will like to know when Paresh Barua will gather courage to lead the revolution from within his motherland (Assam). It is nothing but cowardice on the part of Paresh Barua to try to establish himself as a revolutionary leader only by issuing statements from a faraway place and by fomenting mindless violence that is moved away from the principles and goals of the ULFA.
The pro-talks faction stated that it had come forward for dialogue with the government after gauging the mood of the people who want only peace and prosperity, no more violence and conflicts. It also said it had endeavoured for a negotiated peaceful settlement to the conflict as per the constitution of the ULFA.
