India asks Bangla to hand over ULFA leaders

Neighbour Vol. 3 Issue No. 32

August 1-15, 2007

India asks Bangla to hand over ULFA leaders

India urged Bangladesh to repatriate ULFA’s command-in-chief, Paresh Barua and general secretary, Anup Chetia and lodged protest against the activities of the ISI in the North-East, Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh said. In a letter to Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers and Steel, Ram Vilas Paswan, the Prime Minister said efforts have been made to further sanitise the border with Bangladesh. “We have also taken up with Bangladesh Government the need to take action against Indian insurgent groups operating from sanctuaries in that country,” he informed.

“We have sought the return of prominent ULFA leaders like Paresh Barua and Anup Chetia. We are conscious of the role played by the ISI and the matter has been taken up with both Bangladesh and Pakistan authorities,” Dr Singh added.

The Prime Minister was responding to Paswan’s letter regarding killing of Hindi-speaking people in the State last month. He also referred to the Prime Minister a petition submitted by a delegation of Purbottar Hindustani Federation, seeking Central Government’s intervention.

“The Government is duty bound to provide safety and security to these people who perceive themselves of them being soft targets,” Paswan had written to the Prime Minister.

The Union Minister had earlier in January visited Assam and in the aftermath of the attack on Hindi-speaking people. He had then described the situation as quite serious. In that letter, Paswan demanded that only IAS and IPS officers should be posted as DM and SP, in the affected districts so that the feeling of regionalism in the local administration could be curbed!

Asserting that he shared Paswan’s sense of sorrow and concern, the Prime Minister said he has categorically mentioned to Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi that it was imperative and the specific responsibility of the State authorities to ensure the safety and security of all segments of the people. “More specifically I have indicated that poor labourers coming from outside Assam, to earn their livelihood and contributing to the betterment of Assam, should have all the protections possible from the State,” he said.

The Prime Minister then listed out the measures taken by the State to protect the people. The actions taken are both preventive and precautionary. Police pickets have been posted in vulnerable areas. Areas where there are large concentrations or settlements of Hindi-speaking people, have been given priority, while posting policepickets, he added.

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