ON I-DAY, ASSAM CM SARMA INVITES ULFA (I) CHIEF FOR PEACE DIALOGUE
GUWAHATI: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday appealed to ULFA (I) chief Paresh Barua to come to the negotiating table. Sarma also expressed his gratitude to Covid warriors for their unrelenting fight against the pandemic, and reaffirmed his government’s commitment to the war against drugs and human trafficking.
He made 10 ‘requests’ to the people of Assam, including taking care of aging parents and marrying off daughters not before the age of 21, to mark the 75th Independence Day.
Speaking at the state function organised on the occasion, the chief minister said that Assam is celebrating Independence Day without any bandh called by militant groups, including ULFA, for the first time in decades.”
On behalf of the people of Assam, I appeal to Paresh Barua to come forward for dialogue. Let no youth of our state be killed anymore,” he said.
The ULFA (I), which had been calling for Assam Bandh on Independence Day and Republic Day for several decades, refrained from the practice for the first time for Independence Day this year.the outfit has also declared a unilateral ceasefire since May this year in view of the pandemic situation.
The chief minister had earlier urged Barua to come for peace talks after assuming power in May this year. Sarma thanked all Covid warriors, including doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians and ambulance drivers, for working tirelessly in the pandemic. Noting that Covid-19 vaccination for all eligible people was progressing well in the state, he said that 1.5 crore doses will be administered in the next one week.