TINSUKIA: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has extended an unexpected invitation to Paresh Barua, chief of proscribed United Liberation Front of Asom–Independent (ULFA-I), for a seven-day stay in the state. He has thrown open the door for Barua to witness the change that has come to Assam over the years.
“Paresh Barua is a knowledgeable person. It does not mean that he will come because I have invited him. He has wisdom and logic of his own. But I feel, if he stays in Assam for just seven days, he will realise that the old Assam has changed a lot…,” said Sarma, while speaking to the press on the sidelines of an event at Saikhowaghat, Tinsukia, on August 8.
Sarma added that if Barua accepts the offer, he will provide him a safe passage and will facilitate his visit “… with full responsibility”. “As I am talking about inviting him, I will invite with full responsibility. If he comes and stays for 7-10 days, he himself will understand the situation,” he was quoted as saying.
The Chief Minister also stated that today’s Assamese youth, instead of falling prey to militancy, has completely abandoned it and is keen to return to the mainstream.
In January 2022, the Chief Minister had requested the Centre to complete the then ongoing peace parleys with the pro-talks faction of ULFA before beginning dialogue with Paresh Barua-led ULFA-Independent. And on Tuesday, he informed that if not for some “practical difficulties”, the talks would have already commenced by now. “If there were not some practical difficulties, the talks would have taken place by now. We are trying to solve those practical issues,” he said.
This is not the first time Sarma has urged the banned militant outfit to come to the table for talks. Last year, Sarma, while appreciating the outfit for not calling a bandh on Republic Day 2022, had asked ULFA-I to engage in a meaningful discussion with the Centre.
