Guwahati: ULFA 'chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa
on Tuesday said he went to Pakistan when Operation Bajrang was
launched in Assam in 1990 but denied the group was backed by
Islamic fundamentalists of that country.
"We did go to Pakistan during 'Operation Bajrang. We went
to Pakistan because at that time, the situation was different.
The enemy of an enemy is our friend. There was an Assam-India
conflict," Rajkhowa said.
"Just because we went there, does not mean that Pakistan
gave us all our weapons. Like other outfits, we acquired our
weapons from various sources, including from arms dealers,
other groups, etc.
"Our organisation is against communalism and
fundamentalism. Therefore, the question of us siding up with
fundamentalist groups does not arise at all," he said,
reacting to media reports about the ULFA being backed by
Pakistani Islamic fundamentalists.
"We not only went to Pakistan, but to Bangladesh, Bhutan
and Myanmar. We also went to Europe and international bodies
to garner support for our cause. Staying in a country does not
mean that the country helped us," he said.
"There are also reports about China helping us. If such a
big powerful country was helping us, then we would have long
time back made Assam independent," he said.
Operation Bajrang was launched by army on November 28,
1990 in Assam to flush out ULFA militants.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, August 09, 2011, 18:37