United Liberation Front of Asom—Independent (ULFA-I) chief Paresh Baruah has reiterated that no talks possible with the government of India unless sovereignty is included in its agenda.
“We have always maintained that sovereignty should be the core issue for talks. There is no point talking on other issues. Let the Government talk on sovereignty and try to make us understand why we should not get sovereignty,” Baruah told Assam Tribune.
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The ULFA (I) chief also rubbished the media reports that the outfit is talking with Government.
He said no representative of the Government contacted him or any other senior leader of the ULFA (I) and on his part, the organization has also not contacted the Government.
“We have seen media reports where Ministers appealed to us to come for talks and we also made our stand clear through the media,” he said.
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Baruah also rejected the report that his childhood friend Rebati Phukan, who went missing from Guwahati in April, 2018 is in touch with him on behalf of the Central Government.
“Phukan is not in touch with us. We knew that he was not keeping well when he went missing. The failure of the Government agencies to find him is very unfortunate, “he said.
Baruah earlier reportedly told former Peoples Consultative Groups (PCG) member Hiranya Saikia that if the Centre agrees to talk on the issue of sovereignty, he might reconstitute the PCG with likeminded people to hold initial parleys to pave the way for formal talks.
The ULFA had formed the PCG in 2005 to hold parleys with the Government to pave the way for formal talks.
The PCG held three rounds of talks with the Government of India.
But the PCG withdrew from the process in 2006 alleging “lack of seriousness” on the part of the government.