GUWAHATI: In the aftermath of the murder of two Hindi-speaking persons last week by the Paresh Baruah faction of the banned United Liberation Front of Assam (Ulfa), which also threatened to target the community in the coming days, people took out a march here on Sunday to demonstrate their anger against the outfit.
The Patriotic People’s Front Assam (PPFA), which spearheaded the protest, said the march was organised to send a message to the insurgent group to refrain from violent acts. “We wanted to send a strong message to Baruah, who remains visible through the media and continues with his disruptive activities, including the killing of common people,” the PPFA said.
It alleged that the Ulfa was eliminating Indian citizens to make space for illegal Bangladeshi immigrants as a “return gesture” to Bangladesh, where it had once taken refuge.
The protestors shouted slogans such as ‘Punish Paresh Baruah’, ‘Ulfa murdabad’, ‘Agents of militants hussiyar’, ‘Enemies of India are enemies of Assam’, ‘Enemies of Assam are enemies of India’, etc.
The outfit had last week killed one Nandlal Shah and his daughter and injured two of his family members in Tinsukia district for ignoring its monetary demand. The murders evoked widespread protest with people speaking out openly against Baruah and demanding stringent action against the perpetrators of the crime.
Police claimed that the attack was carried out by the Ulfa, but the elusive Baruah, who is operating from the soil of Myanmar, denied the involvement of his group. Baruah demanded an apology from the Hindi-speaking people for speaking against him and warned that it would target the community if the people did not apologise. Insurgent groups in the Northeast relate Hindi-speaking people to the Government of India. The Ulfa has killed scores belonging to the community over the years.