Tripartite meet for expediting peace process

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, May 15: After reviewing the progress of peace talks with the Ulfa, Union Home Secretary LC Goyal said today that the highest priority has been attached for early completion of peace process.

A tripartite meeting involving the representatives of Government of Assam, and Ulfa was held in New Delhi under the chairmanship of the Union Home Secretary to review the progress made in talks and to discuss Ulfa demands. The Ulfa delegation was led by its chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa. PC Haldar, Government of India’s representative for the peace talks, Assam Chief Secretary Jitesh Khosla, DGP Khagen Sharma, ADGP (SB) Pallab Bhattacharya, Commissioner & Secretary (Home) LS Changson, Special Secretary (IS), MHA, Ashok Prasad and Joint Secretary, North East, MHA Shambhu Singh were present.

The Ulfa leaders requested for early completion of the peace process by considering their demands, so that a fil settlement can be reached.

Among other issues, the Ulfa leaders mentioned that since the issue of illegal migrants in Assam needs to be solved, update of the tiol Register of Citizens (NRC)–1951 should also be prioritized. Besides, additiol measures need to be taken for effective guarding of India-Bangladesh border to check infiltration across the border. The Union Home Secretary assured that the Ministry of Home Affairs has been taking all possible measures to control the illegal influx from across the border. He also added that the NRC update work is targeted to be completed in a time-bound manner. He said that measures have already been taken for effective border magement along the intertiol border which have helped in curbing illegal infiltration from across the border.

The ULFA representatives called for decentralisation of powers from the State level to local bodies to empower local people and thereby initiate democratic process at the grassroots level. They said that the genuine grievances of the people of Assam need to be addressed with priority. The Union Home Secretary stressed that the Government attaches highest priority to decentralization of powers and address the grievances of the people of the country including Assam.

After the meeting with the Union Home Secretary, the Ulfa delegation called on Union Home Minister Rajth Singh and Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju.