Politics / Assam

NEW DELHI, Dec 19 ? The Royal Government of Bhutan (RGB) has handed over a batch of seven ultras belonging to the ULFA, NDFB and KLO even as the Government of India has made a request to the RGB to take special care of the women and children captured during its operation against the NE ultras on its soil. The RGB last evening handed over a batch of seven ultras belonging to the ULFA, NDFB and KLO, while more batches are expected to be handed over shortly, Army Chief General NC Vij disclosed here today.

Meanwhile, according to highly placed sources here, women and children in custody of the...

New Delhi, Dec. 18: Troops of the Royal Bhutan Army are surrounding and engaging insurgents from India?s northeast in their camps in southern Bhutan and avoiding close-quarters combat, according to an assessment made in the Indian security establishment.

The military operation is the first of its kind undertaken by the Indian Army-trained Bhutan troops.

They have taken casualties and Indian Army and air force helicopters are evacuating them to military hospitals. On Wednesday, the helicopters flew six sorties to Calcutta, presumably ferrying casualties to the command hospital.

Sources in the...

GUWAHATI, Dec 18 ? Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today appealed to all militant outfits to shun violence and come forward for talks for peaceful solution of their problems. Replying to a zero hour discussion in the State Assembly, the Chief Minister said that the State Government was informed by the Centre immediately after the Bhutan Government launched an offensive to evict the militants camping in the Himalayan Kingdom in the wee hours of December 15. He said that the Centre also asked the State Government to seal the Assam-Bhutan border to prevent the militants from sneaking into the State.

...

GUWAHATI, Dec 18 ? Opposition Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC) members today walked out of Assam Assembly for the day in the wake of AGP member Dr Zoii Nath Sharma being expelled from the House on charges of ?showing disrespect to the Chair and democracy.? As soon as the House assembled at 9 a.m. today on the first day of the Winter Session, Opposition AGP members demanded a thorough discussion on the issue of anti-Bihari violence in the House by adjourning the Question Hour.

The AGP legislators Hitendra Nath Goswami requested the Chair for adjournment of...

SAMDRUP JONGKHAR, Dec 18? Bhutan today rejected a ceasefire call by ULFA and vowed to go ahead with the ongoing ?short but decisive? military operation till the end result of flushing the Indian insurgents out of its soil was achieved, reports PTI. Amidst reports of over 120 insurgents, including the chief of Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO) Jiban Singha killed and over 500 captured, in the operation that continued for the fourth day, Bhutan accused the Indian insurgent groups of ULFA, NDFB and KLO of violating its sovereignty and said ?as long as they are here, they pose a threat to...

Guwahati, Dec. 17: The Assam police intelligence network today worked overtime to ascertain if the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) publicity secretary B. Irakdao was also among the militant heavyweights ?captured? in Bhutan but drew a blank till late this evening.

There is no confirmation yet about reports doing the rounds that the NDFB leader has been picked up,? a top Assam police official said.

However, the NDFB, which has remained silent ever since the Royal Bhutan Army launched its offensive against them and the Ulfa in Bhutan, today issued a statement to the press.

The...

GUWAHATI, Dec 17 ? The National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) today requested the Royal Government of Bhutan to stop the offensive against it as it may create enmity between Bodo and Bhutanese people. In a press statement, Major B Susranggra, Chief of Staff of Bodoland Army of the NDFB said the Royal Government must never think of the Bodos as the enemy of Bhutan. The Bodos shall always uphold the age-old friendly relations with the Bhutanese, he said, adding, the NDFB, ULFA and KLO cadres have no ill-motives against the sovereignty of Bhutan. Major Susranggra said the last round of...

GUWAHATI, Dec 17 ? The ruling Congress today claimed to have inched closer to form the council in Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) with support from two of the three newly-elected Independent councillors. Minister of State for Planning and Development Himanta Bishwa Sharma today presented two Independent councillors Asadullah Seikh and Brojen Das before media persons at his official chamber in Janata Bhawan here this afternoon. Both the councillors stated that they had decided to support Congress in the GMC.

On the basis of the support extended by these two Independent councillors, the...

NEW DELHI, Dec 17 ? Irked by repeated charges by Congress MPs about delay in despatch of additional forces, Minister of State for Home Affairs, Swami Chindmayanand held that Assam Government failed to make proper utilisation of available forces and there was delay in mobilisation of army. The repeated accusation by Congress MPs that Centre did not act on repeated request by Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi who wrote 14 letters to Deputy Prime Minister, LK Advani infuriated the Minister of State, who countered that the State Government did not even properly utilise the forces it had at its disposal...

GUWAHATI, Dec 17 ? The United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) today received a major set back during the ongoing offensive by the Royal Bhutan Army personnel as the publicity secretary of the outfit Mithinga Daimari, along with several other cadres of the outfit have been nabbed. Highly placed security sources confirmed the arrest of the ULFA publicity secretary during the Bhutan Army operation against the ULFA militants holed up in the territory of the Himalayan Kingdom. Sources said that the Bhutan Government has also claimed the arrest of a senior leader of the National Democratic Front of...