GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma Sunday said the people of Assam will have to exert "moral pressure" on proscribed ULFA(I) chief Paresh Baruah to give up the demand for sovereignty.
"The people will have to convince him to give up the demand so that "History does not consider him a betrayer,"" he said.
"Our (government) efforts are on. We have kept the doors open. There are points of differences and also points of agreement. We should remain hopeful", Sarma said while interacting with media persons here.
However, the problem in taking forward the talk process is that Barua talks only about a sovereign Assam.
"But I as the chief minister had taken oath on the Constitution to protect its sovereignty and integrity," he said.
"I cannot retreat from the oath I had taken or I will not remain in office. I think he also cannot go back on his demand as he feels that people will consider him a betrayer after around 10000 people have died in insurgency related violence in Assam", Sarma said.
"At this stage there are irreconciliable differences. It is, therefore, the responsibility of the people, including intellectuals and different organisations, to urge him to give up the demand for sovereignty. Moral pressure must be exerted on him (Paresh Baruah) to convince him that if he gives up the demand for sovereignty, history will not consider him as a betrayer", the Minister said.
The channel of communication with the ULFA(I) is open and is not a problem and Baruah is not incommunicado, he said.
There has been a positive impact of keeping the doors open as the law and order situation in the state is now stable barring a few sporadic incidents.
Sarma on assuming office in May 2021 had offered an olive branch to the banned ULFA (Independent) to come forward for talks, while the outfit announced a ceasefire, renewed every three months but there has been no progress in negotiations.
There are, however, reports of the ULFA(I) trying to regroup in some districts of Upper Assam, encounters with security forces and recovery of arms and ammunition.