Assam Peaceniks slam Ulfa

RIPUNJOY DAS

Sanjeev Talukdar, an Ulfa cadre, being produced at the CJM court on Monday for his alleged involvement in the January 1 blasts. Picture by Eastern Projections Dibrugarh, Jan 6 : The A and C companies of the 28 battalion of Ulfa, now calling themselves the pro-talks group, today took the outfit head on saying its denial of playing a role in the January 1 blasts in Guwahati was nothing more than an eyewash. Leaders of the pro-talks group said the blasts had Ulfa written all over it and attributed this to the outfit’s increasing frustration over the activities of the A and C companies which have found favour with the people of the state. A key leader of the pro-talks group, Jiten Dutta, said the Ulfa leadership was very frustrated with the activities of his group since it declared the unilateral ceasefire on June 24 last year because of which attempts were continuously made to derail the peace initiative. “The serial blasts on the very first day of the New Year was a well-calculated strategy of the Ulfa leadership — to be precise from the brains of chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa and commander-in-chief Paresh Barua — only to demoralise the cadres who are with us. It was the same day when we had also disclosed before the media our plans for an autonomous Assam,” Dutta said. Although there has been a clear division in the Ulfa ranks after the declaration of the unilateral ceasefire on June 24, the pro-talks group had officially severed all ties with the outfit on January 1 and dropped the demand of sovereignty. It stated that it would sit for holding negotiations with the government on its own. On the other hand, right from the beginning the Ulfa leadership had dismissed the peace initiative by the Alpha and Charlie companies of the outfit’s 28 battalion. They termed it as a “trap by the Indian Occupational Forces.” The Ulfa leadership also expelled all those who are involved in the pro-talks group. “Arabinda Rajkhowa and Paresh Barua have been living a lavish life in foreign nations. This is why they have failed to feel the pain of the Assamese people here. We have been with the people — be it before the ceasefire or after it. From the meetings and interactions we have got a real view of the people’s hopes and aspirations. This is why we have come forward to hold talks with the government and that too for an autonomous Assam, not an independent Assam,” Dutta said. Meanwhile, police today arrested Ulfa’s self-styled sergeant major Mridula Changmai alias Krishna and recovered arms and ammunition from her at Sonari. Sources said another cadre John Singh, who was also with her during the operation by the joint police-army team, managed to flee. A search in the area is on.