Guwahati, Jan 28 (IANS) The Assam government on Tuesday urged the United Liberation Front of Assam and its chief Paresh Barua to enter into a meaningful peace dialogue with it and the centre.
“I appeal to both Paresh Baruah and United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) to have a meaningful peace dialogue with both the government of Assam and the government of India, ending decade-old militant movement,” state Finance Minister and Convenor of North-East Democratic Alliance Himanta Biswasarma told mediapersons here.
Biswasarma’s offer to Barua came a day after the Centre inked a peace agreement with representatives of Bodo organisations, attempting to put an end to the decades-old Bodo insurgency based on the demand for carving out a separate state out of Assam.
Complimenting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for helping formalise the “historic accord”, he said: “It will ensure autonomy of Bodoland and reaffirm territorial integrity of Assam, besides ensuring justice for both Bodo and non-Bodo people”.
He said the Bodo Accord marks a new era of peace, progress and prosperity in Assam.
Giving a message to Barua, Biswa Sarma said the Centre and the state government would reciprocate if he took part in the dialogue.
Sarma said no non-Bodo village would come under the ambit of the proposed satellite council to be set up outside the Bodoland Territorial Council area.
Monday’s tripartite agreement was signed by representatives of the Union government, Assam government and representatives of banned Bodo organisation, the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB). The All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) is also a signatory to the peace accord.
The peace accord signed in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, provides for the economic and political development of Bodos without affecting the territorial integrity of Assam.
As per the peace plan, 1,550 cadres along with 130 weapons will surrender on January 30. Shah assured the Bodo representatives that all the promises made in the peace agreement will be fulfilled in a time-bound manner.
Monday’s peace accord is the third Bodo peace agreement to be signed since 1993. The demand for a separate Bodoland is almost five decades old.
–IANS
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