Editorial 

War of words

War of words between anti-talk faction of United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma clearly proves one point. The point is ballot is always more powerful than bullet. If the anti-talk faction is finding it more and more alienated from the people it is because of their too much reliance on guns. On the other hand if the minister is gaining strength it is because of his tryst with electoral politics. By attacking one among the many ministers in the Gogoi cabinet the Paresh Barua headed faction of ULFA has proved that it is no position to attack the high and mighty. So it is now targeting lesser mortals like Himanta Biswa Sharma. Many are of the opinion that the statement made by the minister earlier was provocative enough and that prompted ULFA to attack the minister. But this argument is of no help. If the minister’s statement has angered ULFA, the organization should have restricted its anger within that ambit. Strangely the outlawed faction in its statement has made no mention about that controversial speech. Rather the attacked the minister by terming him as ex-ULFA and accused him of financial irregularities. Though no one can support violence, it is not a sin to join ULFA. Many former ULFA cadres have now joined the mainstream and living a peaceful and violence-free life. What is wrong if the said minister follows the same path? Besides, in ULFA has any evidence of financial irregularities committed by the minister, it can easily approach the court. Keeping the proofs in their custody and not making it public will turn the evidences into mere piece of paper. So instead of shouting from the rooftops, ULFA should come forward with the evidences to prove its allegation against the minister. Otherwise its anger will only be interpreted as an effort to stay in circulation.

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