GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Friday claimed that his government had been, to a great extent, able to subdue insurgency through development.
“We have got phenomenal success in combating insurgency in the last two years. And this happened because of our realisation that it is through development that we can defeat insurgency,” the Chief Minister told reporters here.
In light of this, he highlighted a series of development projects initiated by his government to specially benefit people living in rural areas.
“We realised that we can help solve the problem of insurgency through development. The drastic fall in insurgency-related incidents in the state in the last two years only goes to prove that we were right,” the Chief Minister said.
Though happy with the overall situation, Gogoi said his government would strive to generate maximum employment opportunities.
“If we fail to generate employment, it (insurgency) would raise its ugly head again,” he said.
Commenting on talks with banned United Liberation Front of Asom (Ulfa), he revealed that the process would begin in December.
“Haldar (Centre’s interlocutor in Ulfa talks and retired IB chief P C Haldar) is meeting the Ulfa leadership. He said the indications that he got from them were positive,” Gogoi said.
“We want to initiate the peace process by December. The talks could be held at a later stage,” Gogoi said, adding, “The final decision would be taken by the Union Home Ministry”.
The Chief Minister said there were some legal hurdles (in the release of the jailed Ulfa leaders) but his government was doing everything possible to remove them.
A number of cases under the TADA are registered against the jailed Ulfa leaders. The Ulfa top brass, except its military chief Paresh Barua, are currently languishing in jail.
