No general amnesty for leaders of ULFA's pro-talks faction: Gogoi
October 29, 2011 12:57 IST
The Assam government is not considering the appeal from some civil society pro-peace groups to grant general amnesty to the members and the leaders of the pro-talks faction of United Liberation Front of Assam.
"There has not been any precedence of granting general amnesty to any militants who have engaged themselves in peace dialogue with the government. So the question of granting general amnesty to pro-talks ULFA faction members is not under consideration of the government," Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said during an interaction with the media.
Sanmilita Jatiya Abhibartan, a forum of intellectuals who played a key role in facilitating dialogue between the Government of India and the ULFA faction led by its chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, and some other civil society groups want the government to withdraw cases registered against pro-talks ULFA faction members. However, Gogoi said cases, some of which are of serious nature, can't be withdrawn once registered
.
It may be mentioned that some of the ULFA members, who are now engaged in peace dialogue with the government, have many serious cases pending against them for their alleged involvement in anti-national and criminal activities during their 'armed struggle' aimed at 'liberating' Assam from the clutches of 'colonial Indian rulers'.
Not only the ULFA pro-talks faction, militants belonging to other groups like the now disbanded Bodo Liberation Tiger, Dima Halam Daogah faction led by Dilip Nunisa, United People's Democratic Solidarity, pro-talks faction of National Democratic Front of Bodoland, which have been in talks with the Indian government, have cases pending against them.
The militants of the now disbanded BLT, which signed the Bodo Peace Accord in 2003, formed a political party called Bodoland People's Front and were even elected to rule the Bodoland Territorial Council. The BPF is now an ally of the ruling Congress in Assam.
K Anurag in Guwahati
