Guwahati: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday strongly reacted to a news item presented by The Times of India (TOI), the largest circulated English daily newspaper in the country, where the news headline read ‘Himanta 1st Assam CM ready to discuss Ulfa (I)’s core demand of sovereignty’ with the Guwahati dateline.
“I am aghast to see this news in The Times of India. No chief minister can discuss sovereignty of India with anyone. This is non-negotiable. We all Indians, irrespective of our positions, are here to protect the sovereignty of India,” said the nationalist BJP leader in a latest tweet adding, “I strongly refute the news report. This is False.”
It may be mentioned that during his visit to Barama on Wednesday to meet the bereaved family of Assam Rifles jowan, Suman Swargiary, who was killed in an ambush attack by terrorists along with seven others including the commanding officer of the unit in Churachandpur locality of Manipur on 13 November, Sarma urges all armed militants of northeast Bharat to shun violence and sit for discussions with the government.
Two terror outfits namely People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and Manipur Naga People’s Front (MNPF) claimed responsibility for the ambush attack at an area near to Sehken village under Behiang police station, where besides Swargiary, a commanding AR officer colonel Viplav
Tripathi along with his wife-son duo, soldiers NK Nayak, RP Meena and Shyamal Das died on the spot.
The saffron leader asserted that violence would not serve any purpose and the rebels belonging to various banned separatist outfits should come forward for peace negotiations and contribute for the nation. Sarma informed that a number of rebel groups have joined the peace talks and the government’s doors are open to everyone who expresses desire to join the mainstream.
Welcoming the recent declaration by the outlawed United Liberation Front of Assam (Independent) for extension of ceasefire for another three months, Sarma personally requested the militant leader Paresh Barua to come for negotiations. Sarma also added that efforts are on to bring the Ulfa (I) chief, who is understood to be hiding somewhere on the Myanmar-China border, for pragmatic discussions.
False news spread by TOI : CM Himanta Biswa Sarma
