GUWAHATI, June 6 ? Blame is now on the self-styled C-in-C of the prescribed ULFA, Paresh Barua, for the ?lost generation? in the State. A large number of families of ULFA members including those of top leaders like Sashadhar Choudhury and Pranati Deka, today filed cases against the ULFA C-in-C before Assam Human Rights Commission (AHRC) accusing him of forcing their wards to lead an abnormal life in ULFA ranks. Sri Chandra Kanta Deka, father of ULFA leader Pranati Deka and father-in-law of the outfit?s ?finance secretary? Chitrabon Hazarika, led the group of representatives from ULFA members? families in filing FIRs against Paresh Barua before the two-member AHRC comprising Abdul Majid (retd Judge) and Haren Kalita, former Principal of Govt Law College here.
While filing the FIR before the AHRC, Chandra Kanta Deka complained that his daughter Pranati Deka (40) was forced by the ULFA leadership to join the outfit and demanded that she be allowed to return home to live a normal life. Similar FIR was filed on behalf of parents of ULFA leader Sashadhar Choudhury before the AHRC. Scores of such FIRs against the ULFA C-in-C were tabled before the AHRC Bench which promised to register case on the basis of these complaints and proceed as per the provision of the AHRC Act. The father of Pranati Deka told this newspaper that ULFA?s goal to secure freedom for Assamese people was only a ?dream that will never be fulfilled.? He said it would be prudent on part of the ULFA leaders to realise the reality and come forward for talks with the Government to find a solution. ?ULFA has learned to handle to arms but has no knowledge of history. They will never get to see their dream translated to reality.?
Organised by Assam Public Works (APW), which has set a goal to prevent any more youths from being recruited by terrorists and restore peace in the State, family members of ULFA members today gathered at AHRC office here to ventilate their pent up anger against ULFA leaders for misleading their wards to a ?futile war against the State? thereby spoiling their future. Hiren Deka of Dwarkuchi in Rangiya whose brother Kalpa Deka had disappeared into ULFA ranks about seven years back, said that he started pulling rickshaw in Rangiya only to facilitate education for his younger brother now lost in ULFA. Hiren Deka was picked up and tortured by security forces about five years back after he had failed to provide any clue to his brothers whereabouts. ?I an now fed up with frequent harassment meted out to me and my family for having a brother like Kalpa who has snapped all ties with the family.?
Radhabala Medhi, a widow from Tihu, whose son Hemanta joined ULFA about six years back, was weeping while detailing on harassment meted out to her family by police and Army over the years. ?We don?t know anything about Hemanta who is lost to us. Please spare us the harassment as we can?t take it any more,? she implored. Gitika Barman from Nankaboira (Nalbari) was left in lurch along with her two minor children by her husband, Paresh Barman who is suspected by the police to have joined ULFA ranks about nine months back. Gitika demands ULFA to send her husband back to her for the sake of her children. She also complains of frequent questioning and ?harassment? by police and Army who often visit her to get clue about her husband.
Abhijit Sharma of Assam Public Works informed that his organisation which has 280 members is committed to mobilise the people against the terrorists groups in the State. ?We have already lost a generation and we will see to it that no more youths join ranks of extremists outfits,? he said while admitting that State police has been very helpful for their organisation in identifying ULFA members? families in different parts of the State. The APW has vowed to move AHRC against ?secret killers,? ULFA men who have killed innocent people in the State and police and security forces for harassing innocent members of ULFA boys? families in the State.