GUWAHATI: The anti-talks action of the proscribed United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA-Independent) has rejected the appeal made by spiritual leader Sri Ravi Shankar on Thursday to the outfit to give up armed struggle and come forward for peace-talks with the Government of India.
It is, however, not the first time that the banned outfit has spurned peace proposals made by Ravi Shankar.
In an open letter addressed to the spiritual leader, the ULFA-Independent, ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Barua categorically stated that the outfit was not willing to participate in any form of peace-talks unless the Government of India was willing to take the issue of independence of Assam into consideration and practice it in the Indian Constitution.
“We have repeatedly shared our concerns about your proposal of peace talks, we released multiple statements stating that we do not want to participate in any forms of peace talks unless the government of India is willing to take the independence of Assam into consideration and practice it in their constitution. You have repeatedly asked us to join in the false, biased and ridiculous peace talks held by the Indian government.
“We would like to decline your request again to join the ‘mainstream’ peace talks because we only follow the revolutionary stream that will lead to an Independent Asom (means Assam). You have raised concerns over our arms struggle, we have picked up arms in order to protect ourselves not to threaten any individual or sovereign nation. Our struggles would not have gained recognition from the colonial government of India or the world if we did not pick up arms for the independence of mother Asom. Our struggles will continue until our ultimate goal is achieved, I urge you not to ask us to lay down our arms in hope of your empty promises.
“I suggest you to stick to your pretentious religion and let us continue our journey to freedom,” the ULFA leader told the spiritual leaders in the open letter e-mailed through the media.