Peace Agreement With Terror Group ULFA In Final Stage: Himanta Sarma

Final touches are being given to a peace agreement with the ULFA's pro-talks group and it is likely to be signed this month or in January, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Friday and also extended offer of talks to the outifit's hardline faction.

Talking to reporters here after holding talks with Intelligence Bureau (IB) Director Tapan Deka and National Investigation Agency (NIA) Director Dinkar Gupta, Himanta Sarma said they discussed security-related matters.

The NIA director briefed the chief minister about the Rohingya infiltration issue in which Assam had registered a case and raids were carried out by the agency in as many as 44 places across the Northeast.

Chief Minister Himanta Sarma said the Centre and the state government are pursuing talks with the Paresh Baruah-led ULFA(I) (the hardline faction) seriously, while final touches are being given to the peace agreement with the pro-talks ULFA faction led by Aranbinda Rajkhowa and this is likely to be signed this month or in January.

He said the peace agreement with the pro-talks ULFA group will incorporate political, economic and cultural safeguards as well as land rights.

Extending an olive branch to the Baruah-led faction, the chief minister said violence will impede growth and development, and it is in the greater interest of the state and its people that ULFA(I) come to an amicable settlement once and for all.

"Violence is futile and will push the clock of development back. It will vitiate the atmosphere at a time when Assam is on a roll with investments pouring into the state," he said.

The meeting between Himanta Sarma and the directors of the IB and the NIA took place at the Assam House here and it lasted for more than an hour.

Former IB special director A K Mishra, who is presently the advisor to the government on Northeast affairs, also met the chief minister.

Himanta Sarma said during his five-day visit to the national capital, he called on the president, the vice president, the prime minister, the Union home minister twice, the Union finance minister, the Union petroleum and natural gas minister, the Union coal and mines minister and the Union health minister.

He said he has requested President Droupadi Murmu to attend the 50th Karbi Youth Festival, which will be held in January.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been invited to inaugurate and lay the foundation stones of a number of projects in February, Himanta Sarma said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)