Putting the ball in the Central government’s court, pro-talk ULFA leader Anup Chetia said the talks between the Centre and the outfit are in the final and decisive phase now.
“The talks are in the final stage now. The onus is now on Central government. The signing of memorandum of settlement (MoS) with ULFA will depend on them,” Chetia told reporters in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Demanding for early completion of the peace process, a delegation of ULFA members on Tuesday held talks with the Centre in New Delhi.
While senior leaders Anup Chetia, Sasadhar Chaudhary, Chitraban Hazarika and Raju Barua , peace interlocutor AB Mathur and Assam ADGP (Special Branch) Pallab Bhattacharya beside Centre’s representative’s were present at the tri-party talk.
Earlier in May this year, coming out strongly against the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, the pro-talk ULFA warned that the ongoing peace talks with the Centre may collapse if the controversial bill is passed in Parliament.
Pro-talks ULFA chief Arabinda Rajkhowa had said the Centre should take immediate steps to scrap the bill since it poses a great threat to the culture, language and identity of the Assamese people.
Chetia’s statement comes at a time when New Delhi is planning to pass the controversial Bill in the winter session of the parliament.
Reacting to the remarks made by All Cachar Karimganj Hailakandi Students’ Association founder president Pradip Dutta Roy on division of Assam, Chetia said, “We don’t want further division of Assam as it would halt the development process of the state”.
He also added that a special financial assistance for Barak valley was included in their demand charter.
The next meeting with the interlocutors will be held at Guwahati, Chetia said.
The pro talk faction of ULFA is in talks with the Government since 2011. The talks were initiated when the ULFA leaders apparently dropped the demand of sovereignty and were arrested at the Indo-Bangla border.