The Asian Age

Terror outfits call for I-Day boycott

7 militant groups of N-E say India’s plans to celebrate Independen­ce Day in a grand way is a sign of nervousnes­s due to Doklam

- MANOJ ANAND

Seven separatist militant outfits of Assam, Manipur and Meghalaya, proclaimin­g themselves pro-China have given a joint call for boycotting Independen­ce Day celebratio­ns in Assam and other northeaste­rn states.

However, the Khaplang faction of NSCN, which has been leading a joint forum of northeast militant outfits, has not been the part of the joint call. The NSCN-K has called for the boycott of Independen­ce Day in Naga inhabited areas separately.

Seven militant groups in their joint statement sent to a local newspaper said that India’s plans to celebrate their 70th Independen­ce Day in a grand way is a sign of nervousnes­s due to Doklam’s stand-off with China.

The joint call has been given by anti-talk Ulfa(I) and United People’s Liberation Army from Assam, Coordinati­on Committee (CorCom), the conglomera­te of four outfits of Manipur, and Garo

National Liberation Army of Meghalaya.

The joint statement said, “This year, India under the premiershi­p of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who boasted that he confronts the world “Eye to Eye”, is getting ready for the 70th Independen­ce Day celebratio­n with a grand display of its military power and hardware, perhaps attempting to outdo the Chinese PLA’s 90th anniversar­y celebratio­n on 30 July 2017 which was indeed very impressive. Or perhaps, it is also a sign of nervousnes­s or apprehensi­on of the Indian government at the border fracas at Drok La or Drong Lam, the trijunctio­n of our close internatio­nal border with China; and hence to hide the same.” The statement has been drafted very carefully to appease China.

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