ULFA Leader Paresh Baruah May Join Peace Talks if Invited 'With Respect'

Guwahati: United Liberation Front of Assam or ULFA (Independent) 'Commander-in-Chief' Paresh Baruah who has been opposed to talks with India, today said his faction might join peace talks if invited respectfully, but would maintain its stand on the core issue of sovereignty for Assam.

Reacting to his one-time colleague Anup Chetia mediating for bringing him to the discussion table, Paresh Baruah said "that will depend on whether his invitation is based on principle and he is free from jail to think independently".

Talking to some local TV news channels, Paresh Baruah said, "We have not said that we'll not participate in talks. If invited with respect we'll come. But we'll maintain our earlier stand as we have only one core issue (sovereignty for Assam)."

"We cannot move away from our core issue as there are many sacrifices involved...15,000 died. We have to get our birthright. The talks cannot be without sincerity when we pushed so many of our members to the jaws of death," he said.

To a question whether Anup Chetia being brought to India from jail in Bangladesh will weaken his core demand, he said, "It does not matter whether I am or Anup Chetia is there in the organisation. It does not make the organisation weak. Revolution will continue whether he is or I am there or not. It is driven by ideology".

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On the possibility of Anup Chetia being a part of the peace talks process, Paresh Baruah said, "I will not comment on it."

"After 18 years in jail in Bangladesh, if he has to again stay in jail in India it will be unfortunate for him and the people of Assam. The government will not be respecting the sentiments of the people of Assam," Paresh Baruah said.

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"We cannot forget Anup Chetia's contributions to ULFA and respect him for that. I wish him good health and that he is freed from imprisonment," he said.

ULFA leader Golap Baruah alias Anup Chetia, who was incarcerated in Bangladesh for 18 years and handed over to India on November 11, was remanded to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) custody for five days by the Special Judicial Magistrate CBI, Assam, after he was brought to Guwahati today.