Guwahati, Jan 25 (PTI Senior leaders of the pro-talk ULFA, which formally disbanded itself recently, called on Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday to convey the decision to the state government.
The outfit’s chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa and general secretary Anup Chetia along with other senior members met the chief minister here and conveyed their decision taken at its last general council meeting held in Darrang district on January 23 to disband the insurgent group, 44 years after its formation.
The decision to disband the outfit was taken as per a clause of the tripartite agreement signed between the outfit, central and state government on December 29 last which stated “ULFA shall abjure the path of violence, give up all arms/ammunition and disband the armed organisation within one month”.
”Three cheers to new beginnings! Following the historic December 29th 2023 agreement signed under the leadership of Hon’ble Union Home Minister Shri @AmitShah ji, the leadership of ULFA (Pro Talks) disbanded their erstwhile insurgent organisation and constituted a new socio-cultural platform, the Asom Jatiya Bikash Mancha, to serve the people of Assam through democratic means. Their leadership met me to communicate this decision in person”, the chief minister posted on ‘X’.
‘As they turn over a new leaf, I can’t help but imagine the momentousness of this occasion. An entire generation in our state grew up thinking such a transition was impossible. Our immense gratitude to Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji for his vision of a Viksit Bharat has inspired many groups to join the path of peace and progress”, Sarma said.
The outfit in its last general council meeting also decided to form a seven-member monitoring committee to ensure the implementation of the various clauses of the tripartite agreement with Chetia as its convenor.
The ULFA was formed on April 7, 1979, in Sivasagar by a group of 20 youths from Upper Assam districts to establish a sovereign Assam through an armed struggle.
The outfit had split in 2011 with the top leadership, including chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, returning to Assam from a neighbouring country and agreed to talk without the sovereignty clause and submitted a 12-point charter of demands to the central government.
Another faction ULFA (Independent), led by Paresh Barua, remained firm on the demand for sovereignty and is yet to come for talks. PTI DG RG
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