Khaplang’s death will affect NE ultras in Myanmar: Rijiju

Guwahati: Union minister of state for Home Kiren Rijiju on Saturday said here that the death of the NSCN-K chairman S S Khaplang would serve a serious blow to the Northeast militants groups including the anti-talks faction of the ULFA which are taking shelter in Myanmar at the patronage of the NSCN-K.

He said presence of Northeast militants groups in neighbouring Myanmar had caused immense trouble for people of the surrounding areas including parts of including parts of Assam, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.

Rijiju called upon the associates of Khaplang including the members of the NSCN-K to come back to the mainstream by giving up arms as the goal of the NSCN-K was unlikely to get fulfilled.

He said the Government of India would help those cadres who want to come over ground.

Regarding on-going peace talks with the faction of the ULFA led by Arabinda Rajkhowa, Rijiju said most of the demands of the group are “worth considering” and a final solution was expected “very soon”.

“The peace talk with the Arabinda Rajkhowa faction of the ULFA is going on very well and with confidence. We genuinely feel that maximum demands by the pro-talk Arabinda Rajkhowa faction are worth considering,” he said adding the Centre is giving a serious consideration to their demands for arriving at a final solution very soon.

Asked whether the ULFA’s core demand for sovereignty of Assam was discussed during the talks, Rijiju said “there is no question of discussing sovereignty at all. There cannot be any talk on sovereignty. The talk is being held within the framework of the Indian Constitution”.