Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma reached out to United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah, saying that he should be made aware of the “changing realities” of the state.
In a reference to illegal immigration from Bangladesh, the chief minister asserted that if Baruah returns to Assam after 30 years, the ULFA’s ‘Charter of Demands’ would “change automatically”.
“I talk to him every 3-4 months. Earlier, no Assam chief minister talked to him directly. I have no doubt that he loves Assam, but if he visits the state, he would know where the problem lies. In the entire ULFA Charter, illegal immigration from Bangladesh is not being recognised as a problem,” Sarma told the media Monday.
Acknowledging that Baruah has been fighting for Assam’s sovereignty, the chief minister said it is “an individual choice, which he cannot give up easily.”
Baruah continues to maintain his stand of joining the table only when the issue of sovereignty is under discussion.
“I am not someone to term the demand for sovereign Assam wrong; nor will I announce to shoot down Paresh Baruah if he’s here. The police, the army can continue doing their job, but as a political head of the state, I want to reach out to him. I won’t tell the army and the police to stop operations against ULFA, but Baruah must know about the changing realities of Assam,” Sarma added.
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“Of what value would sovereignty be if there’s a chance for a non-Assamese to become a Chief Minister? How can he go to Dhubri, Mankachar (minority-dominated areas) and claim for independent Assam.”
Sarma further stated that constant discussion, negotiation and opening up channels with Paresh Baruah will provide results “today or tomorrow”. “Let Paresh Baruah speak to 10,000 people in Assam — he should know Assam has changed,” he said.
“Everyone should talk to him. I have informed the Intelligence Bureau that all ministers and legislators, and people of Assam can talk to him and apprise him of the developments in the state. He must know that Assam is changing. I have also informed police not to track someone who talks to Baruah. Let him speak to, at least, ten thousand people in Assam — to understand the grievances, hardships and mindset of Assamese people. What people want…,” Sarma said.
“Young people of the current generation write to me, requesting the setting up of the IT industry in the state. No one WhatsApp me to ask for sovereign Assam.”
Also Read: ‘A deal with a defanged tiger’? ULFA’s history & how peace pact could impact Paresh Baruah faction
Highest level of protection for Assamese: CM
After nearly 12 years of negotiations, the pro-talks faction of the ULFA signed a tripartite Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) Friday with the central and Assam governments in New Delhi, in the presence of Sarma and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
A six-member ULFA (pro-talks) delegation led by its chairperson Arabinda Rajkhowa signed the agreement, with the government stating that it stands “committed to protecting the interests of the indigenous communities”.
Regarding the principle benefits of the agreement with the ULFA (pro-talks) faction, Sarma said that “within the constitutional limit, the highest level of protection has been secured for the people of Assam” through the MoS signed with the outfit.
Pointing to the delimitation exercise in the state conducted by the Election Commission , Sarma said that the principle adopted last year will be followed for any delimitation exercise in future for Assam.
“As per the ULFA MoS, for the next 30-40 years, the delimitation exercise for Assam would be based on the principle adopted by the EC last year. Through this process, almost 106 seats across the state have been preserved for indigenous communities. About 96-98 seats have been saved for indigenous people in the Brahmaputra Valley. Only those inhabiting Assam since past 100 years can win from these seats. Of 12 seats in Barak Valley, 8 seats are now reserved for the indigenous representatives,” he said.
Another point Sarma spoke about at the press briefing was “not shifting from one constituency to another”. According to agreed provisions, no voter from one constituency can figure in the electoral roll of another constituency.
“To vote from a constituency, one should be a permanent resident under that constituency,” the CM explained.
‘90 percent of ULFA founders joined negotiations’
In a press statement Friday evening, the Centre said that about 10,000 people from both sides (insurgents, civilians and security forces) were killed in the ULFA conflict, but with the signing of the MoS, the “problem has been completely resolved”.
“Almost 90 percent of ULFA’s founders have joined negotiations. We are discussing with the Centre on providing financial relief to families of those who lost their lives to the cause of sovereign Assam. I have argued over the fact that even if they were militants, they loved Assam. They lost their way, but they chose a different path only for the love of their motherland,” Sarma said.
“If we have somehow rehabilitated 3,000 families of the ULFA conflict, can’t we rehabilitate the rest? The pro-talks faction had demanded this, but on technical grounds, New Delhi has left the judgement to the state.”
The CM apprised that the state has made a list of 2,100 Assamese youths “who have died as ULFA cadres”, besides providing jobs to next of kin of 700 policemen who died in counter-insurgency operations.
“We have already compensated 4,000 innocent civilians who died in the ULFA conflict. If these things are made known to Paresh Baruah, definitely he will be a changed person,” he said.
In April 2021, Paresh Baruah was dismissive when asked about the possibility of returning to the mainstream.
“If I am a man without principles, I can think of giving up. Until death, I won’t sway from my principles. Armed struggle is different from non-violence. Subhas Chandra Bose did not choose to be Jawaharlal Nehru or Mahatma Gandhi,” the ULFA (Independent) commander-in-chief had told ThePrint. “Our revolution continues, and it’s uncertain… Until my death, I will carry on.”
(Edited by Tony Rai)
Also Read: What’s in historic peace pact ULFA’s pro-talks faction has signed with Centre & Assam govt