Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network
Guwahati, January 09 2010:
Chief minister of Assam Tarun Gogoi has pooh-poohed the threat of United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) military chief Paresh Baruah that it would target security forces and vital installations describing it as a ploy by the outlawed outfit to create fear psychosis among people in the state.
Talking to journalists in Guwahati today Tarun Gogoi said, "Such threats of ULFA are nothing new to us.
We've been receiving these types of threats from the ULFA for the last 20 years" .
Tarun Gogoi said that the motive of the ULFA has been to create terror but the people are in a defined mode today.
"So, they won't be able to create any fear psychosis," Gogoi said.
Mention may be made that Paresh Baruah had threatened that ULFA would launch a series of attacks targeting mainly security forces and vital installations in Assam ahead of the Republic Day.
To this threat of the ULFA, the chief minister said today that the militant outfit has been all along trying to create terror, and to counter any eventuality his government had already passed instructions to the police and other security agencies to maintain strict vigil.
"On one hand, we've kept the doors open for talks.
On the other, we've instructed the agencies to firmly deal with any insurgent activities," the Chief Minister said.
He disclosed that the government was receiving positive signals (from jailed ULFA leaders) for peace talks.
The chief minister then said, "The signals are positive and the indications are good".
"We'll be happy to involve everyone including Paresh Baruah in the talks.
But if he doesn't come, the talks can still take place," Tarun Gogoi said.
In this connection, he cited examples of peace talks with Bodo and Naga insurgent groups.
"The talks are being held with the NDFB without its chairman Ranjan Daimary and with the NSCN without Phizo.
If 80 per cent of them come, the talks can be held," he said.
On Assam Rifles' observation that fifty per cent of the ULFA recruits were from Bangladesh, Gogoi said, "I don't have any such information.
So, I can neither admit it nor deny it".