Guwahati: The ministry of home affairs has directed the Assam government to take stern action against the over ground collaborators of outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) while suggesting proactive measures to check the recruitment in the militant outfit.
Disclosing that Union home minister Rajnath Singh had a meeting with Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on the issue recently in New Delhi, security sources told this newspaper that the ministry of home affairs was not worried about the offensives launched by Ulfa-I but it was more concerned about the failure of the state police forces in taking counter-action against the militants involved in violence.
Pointing out that over the years Assam police has kept the militants on the run, security sources said that there was no reason that the same police force cannot handle the situation now. Security sources said that even after two major incidents of killing in Dhola and Sibsagar, Assam police failed to take any counter-action.
Admitting that it was the major area of concern for the home ministry, security sources said that Assam government has been asked to take firm action against over ground collaborators and supporters who are causing more damage to law and order scenario of the state. Equating the Ulfa-I sympathisers with “urban naxals”, security sources said that overground collaborators and supporters of Ulfa-I are more dangerous than “urban naxals” and trying hard to provoke social unrest in various pockets of the state.
Claiming that overground collaborators and sympathisers are also trying to revive Ulfa-I, security sources said that Assam government has been asked to foil the ongoing attempt to give a fresh lease of life to Ulfa-I.
Asserting that the level of violence has come down substantially in the northeastern states, security sources said that the MHA decided not to extend the term of Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) in Assam in view of the improvement in the law and order scenario.
