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Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi Saturday met Home Minister L K Advani and voiced strong reservations over extension of ceasefire between the Centre and National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak Muviah) to Naga-inhabited areas beyond Nagaland's borders.
"Though we are not opposed to the extension of ceasefire, but the extension of its area coverage will create problems for us. They (NSCN-IM) already have established camps, there are cases of extortion and now they can do all this freely and legally," Gogoi told PTI in New Delhi.
However, highly-placed official sources said that apprehensions about extension of the ceasefire to Naga-inhabited areas were misplaced as the manifesto of ruling National Democratic Alliance is committed to maintaining the territorial integrity and unity of the north-eastern states.
As Manipur faced a three-day bandh in protest against the ceasefire extension, state Governor Ved Marwah is understood to have spoken to Advani Saturday on the phone and apprised him of the situation there.
Gogoi claimed the NSCN(I-M) had not only been supporting United Liberation Front of Asom and other extremist outfits in Assam, but were also supplying them with arms and ammunition. He also referred to recent cases of violence in the state including the one in which nine jawans were killed.
"Now that the decision to extend the ceasefire has been taken, we cannot act against these elements even if we want to," Gogoi said, but reiterated that his government had welcomed the extension of ceasefire but not beyond Nagaland.
"I was not taken into confidence when this decision was taken," he said adding that the extension would lead to "heightened" extremist activities in Assam.
However, Advani assured Gogoi that as per the ceasefire ground rules, the security forces would not allow the extremist outfit to carry out illegal activities in the areas beyond Nagaland where the NSCN(I-M) has its bases.
Home Secretary Kamal Pande was also present at the meeting.
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Mukut Mithi and Nagaland Chief Minister S C Jamir, who were in Delhi to attend a conference of chief ministers of Congress-ruled states convened by party President Sonia Gandhi, however, did not meet Advani.
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