Politician-ultra nexus to be probed: Pillai

GUWAHATI, January 18: The Union Law Ministry has given its green signal to the proposal to set up a judicial commission to probe into the alleged insurgent - politician nexus in the Northeastern States. The Joint Secretary (Northeast) of the Union Home Ministry, GK Pillai told The Assam Tribune that in view of the allegations and counter-allegations of nexus between insurgents and political leaders, the Union Home Ministry mooted a proposal to set up a judicial enquiry commission headed by a Supreme Court Judge to probe into the allegations. The mater was referred to the Union Law Ministry for its approval and the Ministry has informed that it has no objections to the setting up of a judicial commission. The decks have now been cleared for the setting up of a judicial enquiry commission and only the Cabinet approval in this regard is awaited, Pillai said. He also revealed that the terms of reference of the proposed commission are now being worked out. It may be mentioned her that the Chief Minister, Prafulla Kumar Mahanta has been accusing the main opposition Congress of having nexus with the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA). He also submitted a report in this regard to the Union Home Ministry. However, the Congress, on its part, has been denying the allegations and accused the AGP of having nexus with the insurgents. It is expected that the proposed judicial probe would bring an end to all such allegation and counter allegations. According to an UNI report from Shillong: Talking to a select group of journalists late last night in Shillong, Pillai said the Prime Minister, in consultation with Home Ministry would soon institute an inquiry, headed by a retired judge, into the allegation. Incidently, former Lok Sabha Speaker and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) general secretary Purno A Sangma had expressed concern over growing politician-ultra nexus in the Northeast, including Meghalaya in the recent post. Participating in a seminar in New Delhi, Sangma stressed the need for nipping the dangerous trend in the bud. In Meghalaya, reports appeared in a section of the press that many MLAs and Ministers made use of local ultras. Even, senior police officers here also expressed their inability to deal effectively with the ultras because of 'pressure from politicians'. Keeping all these reports in view, the Prime Minister was considering a judicial probe into these allegation, Pillai said. Talking about the Meghalaya Government's performance in terms of containing militancy, he said the State needed to do more to bring peace. "Even the Centre imposed ban on Achik National Volunteer Council and Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council on November 16," he said.