GUWAHATI, Dec 15 ? Assam government has lauded the military action initiated by Royal government of Bhutan to force closure of unauthorised camps belonging to the banned ULFA, NDFB and KLO outfits in that country even as steps have been taken to prevent ultras sneaking into Assam crossing the Indo-Bhutan border. Official sources informed that the operation by Bhutanese Army to flush out Indian militants from that country was started at around 8-30 this morning.
Talking to The Assam Tribune, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi while welcoming the bold action taken by Bhutan government termed it as a very positive development as far as counter-insurgency operations within Assam. He pointed out that Assam government along with other State governments in the Northeast have been stressing on the need for closure of militants camps in Bhutan, which have been used by the ultras to launch hit-and-run strikes within the region.
Gogoi informed that fearing infiltration bid by militants from Bhutan who are under pressure in that country, Assam government has taken steps to gear up vigil along the Indo-Bhutan border from Kokrajhar to Sonitpur districts in the State. He informed that all the police stations located in the vicinity of the Indo-Bhutan border had been alerted in the wake of Bhutanese Army action against ULFA, NDFB and KLO militants within the Himalayan Kingdom. The three outfits have over 20 camps within that country.
?Additional forces will be deployed along the international border depending upon the availability of Central forces in the State,? Gogoi said adding that the Unified Command would take appropriate action as per the need of the hour. The State government renewed its call to insurgent outfits to shun the path of violence and join the mainstream to accelerate the pace of development in the State.The government expressed confidence that any issue could be resolved through non-violent means within the democratic framework of the country.
Meanwhile, Royal Bhutan government is faced with a peculiar problem in its bid to evict the three Indian militant outfits from Indian States of Assam and West Bengal from the Himalayan kingdom. In the wake-up call given by the Royal Bhutan government to the people of the kingdom to be ready for the onslaught that is being planned by the Bhutanese authorities against Indian militants, a section of Bhutanese people have started mobilising funds as well as militia volunteers to help the King in the fight against Indian ultras.
However, this has not gone down well with the Royal government which considers it a violation of Bhutan?s National Security Act, 1992.The Home Ministry of the Kingdom has, therefore, issues a notification imposing ban on such ?unauthorised? mobilisation of funds and militia volunteers by any organisation or individual. Bhutan?s national newspaper, The Kuensel, in its latest edition reports that Bhutan home ministry announced this week that, while the government appreciated the concerns expressed by the Bhutanese people over the threat posed by the presence of the three Indian militant groups on Bhutanese soil, no organisation or individual should mobilise funds or manpower or take other unauthorised initiatives.