New Delhi: Assam Chief Minister Tarun
Gogoi on Tuesday said the government is not in a hurry to start
talks with the ULFA and asked the banned group to shun
violence and give up its demand of sovereignty for
facilitating the dialogue process.
"The government is not in a hurry to start the
dialogue process and it will take time to start the process.
If ULFA abjures violence and gives up the demand of
sovereignty, the government is ready to talk," Gogoi told
reporters here after his 15-minute-long meeting Home Minister
P Chidambaram.
"But if the ULFA continues violence, it would be dealt
with firmly and security forces are always ready," he said.
Gogoi hoped that by initiating the dialogue process
"we will be able to bring the final settlement to the issue".
When asked whether cases against arrested ULFA
`chairman` Arabinda Rajkhowa will be withdrawn, he said "if
they come to talk we can look into that."
Gogoi discussed the state`s law-and-order situation in
the wake of the arrest of top ULFA leaders Rajkhowa and
`deputy commander-in-chief` Raju Barua.
"Rajkhowa is a prize catch and some more people are
expected to surrender," he said.
According to Gogoi, ULFA `commander-in-chief` Paresh
Baruah is in Kachin area in Myanmar and since the Myanmar
government does not have full control over these areas, it has
not been able to catch him.
"Paresh Baruah shuttles between Myanmar and China," he
said.
PTI
