Draft charter of demands seeks autonomy for Assam

GUWAHATI: A citizens group of Assam, which has brokered peace between Ulfa and the Centre, has prepared the draft charter of demands that seeks constitutional amendment providing overwhelming autonomy to Assam.

The citizens peace broker group, Sanmilita Jatiya Abhibartan, on Saturday handed over the draft charter to Ulfa chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, who said that the draft charter will be discussed at the outfit's platform and a formally decision will be taken in one month's time before starting the talks. The draft on adoption by Ulfa will form the basis of the unconditional talks that both and Ulfa and centre have agreed to hold.

Last January the Ulfa leadership has held courtesy meetings with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and home minister P Chidambaram in New Delhi and the formal talks had to be kept on hold because of the assembly elections in Assam in April.