The Bangladesh government handed over Anup Chetia to India on November 11. He was arrested on four different charges, including one slapped by the CBI. He was finally released on Thursday. Chetia was the founder general secretary of the ULFA. He said that while Assam’s trouble will continue, it will be democratic. He assured his people that he would not run away as he had done in 1992. The global situation has changed and it is necessary for him to join the peace talks with the Centre along with the ULFA chairman Aurobindo Rajkhowa, vice chairman Pradeep Gogoi and other top leaders. However, Chetia is well aware that the pro peace talks cannot succeed without the presence of ULFA founder general secretary Paresh Barua. Barua is leading the anti-talks faction from a high doubt in Myanmar. Chetia went sentimental about his cousin and comrade Barua and requested him to come to their side. He said he would like to speak to Barua if Union government permitted it.
Chetia said that they had been misguided by former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia to call the ULFA a “revolutionary, freedom seeking group”. ULFA detainees in Bangladesh thought that they would be freed if Zia returned to power. They would also get international publicity. The battle scene is now changed. Paresh Barua believes in guns not butter. If his gun-toting following cannot be brought back from post-election Myanmar, very little can be done. The Centre has wasted years trying to work out modalities for talks with the ULFA but just that. One Chetia cannot make a difference.