Union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju has said the Centre has agreed in principle to the demands of the pro-talks ULFA.
Stating that the talk with the outfit is at a final stage, Rijiju said that the demands of pro-talks Ulfa are genuine.
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“The government has agreed in principle to them and instructions have been issued to give it a final shape,” Rijiju told reporters here on Saturday.
He said an agreement is expected to be signed within a short time.
The ULFA faction, led by Arabinda Rajkhowa, is holding talks with the Centre since 2011 in a bid to hammer out a lasting solution to the decades-old armed conflict in Assam.
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The leaders of the outfit had submitted a 18-points charter of demands to the Centre in 2011, which include amendment in the Constitution for finding meaningful ways to protect the rights and identity of the indigenous people of the state that is under serious threat because of unabated illegal influx from Bangladesh.
The outfit has demanded full autonomy for Assam within the framework of the Constitution, after detaching itself from the banned militant group’s demand for the ‘restoration of Assam’s sovereignty’.
The ULFA doves’ other demands include 70 per cent reservation for indigenous communities in each constituency and the creation of an Upper House in the Assam Assembly for indigenous and ethnic groups.
It has demanded the introduction of dual citizenship and inner line permit in the state and the sealing of the India-Bangladesh border to prevent infiltration.
On the ongoing talks with the NSCN (IM), Rijiju said, “Talks are progressing smoothly and with absolute clarity. We hope to come out with a clear, tangible solution within a short span of time.”
“But it (the agreement) will not have any kind of repercussions on Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. The territorial integrity of no state will be affected,” Rijiju said.