Nalbari, Assam:
As militant outfit ULFA observes its annual Protest Day, NDTV travelled to villages of Nalbari in Lower Assam to find out how the outfit has been able to bounce back each time it suffered severe losses.
One such village is Bahjani. The road to Bahjani, till a few years ago, was a road less travelled. This is ULFA territory, home to the outfit's deputy commander Hitesh Kalita alias Raju Baruah.
With fast-moving developments within the ULFA leadership and the return of two senior ULFA cadres, Kalita's mother is hoping her son will now return home. He had left Bahjani 24 years ago.
Hitesh's mother Chyja Kalita says: " He should come back at least for his mother's sake and the government and they should start talking soon"
The organisation has sustained for 30 years now without a split. Kalita's brother Jiten says it's not without the support of a section of people.
"No organisation can sustain so long without the support of the people. I'm sure the boys are around. It's clear there is support. I don't support the violence, but I agree with the cause, Jiten Kalita says.
The Chief Minister of Assam Tarun Gogoi claims to know that the ULFA is shifting its base from Bangladesh to China but one only hopes that the government is aware of the fact that the real bases of ULFA are villages like Bahjani.