Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju
GUWAHATI: The Centre plans to expedite peace talks with the United Liberation Front of Assam, now that the separatist organisation's general secretary Anup Chetia has been handed over to India by Bangladesh.
Senior leaders of pro-talks Ulfa faction said that the home ministry has invited them for talks by the end of this month.
According to analysts, the NDA government is keen to sign the memorandum of settlement (MOS) with Ulfa before 2016 assembly polls in Assam.
Getting back Chetia, the jailed founder member of Ulfa, from Bangladesh was one of the prime demands of the pro-talks faction led by chairman Arbinda Rajkhowa.
The leaders of this faction have already submitted a charter of demands to the Centre. "There will be a formal round of talks with the government in Delhi by the end of this month," said Mrinal Hazarika, a senior leader of this faction.
The Union minister of state for home affairs Kiren Rijiju said, "Talks with Ulfa will be held after the Diwali festival. The Centre is soon likely to wind up talks with the pro-talks faction of the Ulfa."
Hazarika said, "We are excited that the general secretary is back in India and it was one of the prime demands, but we have come to know that trial of Chetia will start. This means he will not be able to sit in the peace talks. Then the whole thing will be delayed."
Chetia is wanted in nine cases registered with the Assam Police, including that of murder and extortion. There are cases under Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act which are currently being tried by the Special TADA Court, Guwahati.
Following the poll debacle in Bihar, the NDA is now focusing on solving the pending issues in Assam, where the BJP hopes to put up a good show.
Political analysts said that peace talks and law and order have always been a dominant issue in the polls in Assam. "BJP takes credit for inking peace deal with erstwhile militant outfit Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT) following which BLT cadres joined the political mainstream in 2003 in Bodoland in Assam," said one analyst, who did not wish to be named.
Politics over Chetia's return to India took a new turn, with the NDA government on Wednesday claiming that the Prime Minister's intervention and efforts to improve ties with Bangladesh paved the way for smooth handing over of Chetia.
Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi countered that the Congress government has worked tirelessly to improve ties with Bangladesh. "Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made huge efforts to improve ties and it was during the UPA's tenure that several top Ulfa leaders including Arbinda Rajkhowa came to India."