GUWAHATI, Nov 7 ? The Government has not been able to establish contact with leaders of the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) for the finalisation of the formal ceasefire agreement, said Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today.
Addressing a press conference today, Gogoi admitted a communication gap with the NDFB leadership and said that efforts are on to get in touch with the leaders of the outfit. He said that the Government has already instructed the security forces to go slow on operations against the NDFB. He assured that the Government would give safe passage and security to the militant leaders who want to come forward for talks. He said that efforts are also on to contact the chairman of the NDFB through e-mail.
On the possibility of talks with the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), the Chief Minister said that on the one hand, the leaders of the ULFA express a desire for talks, while on the other hand, they have instructed their cadres to attack Congress workers in the State. He admitted that according to information available with the Government, the ULFA was instructed by the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to create disturbance in the State.
The Chief Minister today lashed out at the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) president Brindaban Goswami and alleged that the Opposition party was misleading the people of Assam on the issue of Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunals) Act.
He said that at the time of signing of the Assam Accord, the then leaders of the AASU accepted the IMDT Act. He pointed out that in its election manifestos in 1996 and 2001, the AGP never demanded scrapping of the IMDT Act .
He informed the media persons that in its election manifesto in 1996, the AGP had claimed that the State Government had played its part for the implementation of the Assam Accord and the regional party also did not include a separate chapter on the problem of infiltration of foreigners.
Gogoi said that on the contrary, the Congress, in its election manifesto in 2001, had given stress on solution of the problem of infiltration of foreigners into Assam. He said that the Congress manifesto expressed the determination of the party to check illegal migration of foreigners and demanded that photo- identity cards should be issued to genuine Indian citizens and promised to make registration of birth and death mandatory. He said that the Congress had always supported the retention of the IMDT Act and asserted that the party did not mislead the people of Assam on the issue as was done by the AGP.
The Chief Minister said that there was no justification for the AASU to oppose the proposed visit of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to flag off the Indo-ASEAN car rally. He pointed out that the BJP was also criticising the Prime Minister but ? I would like to remind the BJP that they have no moral right to criticise Dr Singh as he has given importance to the development of Assam and provided extra funds to the State to deal with the situation caused by devastating floods. Former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee did not release any extra funds to Assam to deal with floods.?