Guwahati: The ministry of home affairs on Thursday resumed the peace-talks with pro-talk faction of United Liberation Front of Asom and two factions of National Democratic Front of Bodoland in Assam.
Informing that former director of Intelligence Bureau and newly appointed interlocutor Dineshwar Sharma chaired the tripartite talks with Ulfa rebels in Guwahati on Wednesday, security sources said that discussion with two factions of NDFB started on Thursday.
Though, home ministry officials were tight-lipped about the issues being discussed in the meeting which was attended by Ulfa chairman Arbinda Rajkhowa, Anup Chetia and other senior leaders of the outfit, security sources said that Ulfa has been insisting on amending the constitution to protect the rights and identity of the indigenous people of Assam.
The ongoing peace-talks with Ulfa was kept on hold because of Supreme Court’s impending judgment on the bunch of petitions (filed by many individuals and civil society organisations) seeking 1951 as the cut-off year for citizenship of people residing in Assam against what it is now – 1971 according to the Assam Accord.
The Ulfa is also supporting the demand of changing the cut-off for granting citizenship from existing 1971 to 1951.
The peace-talks with Ulfa started after Ulfa chairman Arbinda Rajkhowa was arrested and deported from Bangladesh in 2009. In April 2010 Ulfa joined the peace-talks to resolve the conflict situation in state. Though another faction of the outfit led by its elusive military commander Paresh Baruah refused to join the peace-process.
The progressive faction of NDFB signed the ceasefire agreement with the government in 2005.
Pointing out that state government representatives were also present in the meeting, security sources said that NDFB chief Ranjan Daimary would also be attending the peace-talks. Mr Daimary was also apprehended in Bangladesh and deported to India. He was released from judicial custody in Assam to start the peace-process.
Meanwhile, security sources said that home ministry has also decided to keep the charter of demands by Ulfa and NDFB factions confidential. (EOM)
