Pro-Talk ULFA leader Golap Baruah, alias Anup Chetia has expressed hope that the peace agreement with Pro-Talk ULFA will be signed before the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
The general secretary of the Pro-talk faction of the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) Anup Chetia on Wednesday said peace dialogues with the Government of India and Government of Assam will be held in New Delhi after August 15.
Talking to Meghalaya News 24, Chetia said, “Peace process is going on very well and we hope that the peace agreement will be signed before the 2024 Lok Sabha election. “
Elaborating further on peace talk, Chetia said, “Last time, we met the delegation from the Government of India and Government of Assam. After Independence Day celebrations, we hope our discussions will be held in New Delhi with the Government of India and Government of Assam representatives.”
Asked, he said, “Other side is there because they are not interested to come out for peace and Govt of India and Govt of Assam also appeals to them but they are adamant in their old agenda but they are adamant that they will not come out without the sovereignty of Assam but the Government of India is saying that outside the constitution they cannot permit to talk.”
Asked about Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s invitation to Paresh Baruah — the chief of banned group ULFA(I) (United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent) to come and stay in Assam for one week and see the change. He also said if the ULFA (I) chief comes, he would facilitate the visit, but the Pro-Talk ULFA leader refused to comment.
“That’s a political issue and secondly it depends on Paresh Baruah. I don’t want to comment,” Chetia said.
He said that the Government of India wants to make an agreement with the pro-talk faction of the ULFA because it realises that the Assam problems will be solved.
Asked, Chetia said, “We have contact with him(ULFA-I chief Paresh Baruah)…but that depends upon the Government of India, if the Government of India is interested to talk with him and his party. But there is a lack of communication with the Government of India and their demands are in the same position like before and the Government of India cannot accept their demands.”
Chetia however said that Baruah is not in Bangladesh but somewhere which they also don’t know.