Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Tarun
Gogoi today said that the ULFA militants, who had reportedly
surrendered in Bangladesh, were with their "own people" in the
state and not in police custody.
"The militants have come into the state and are not in
the custody of the state police but in their own places among
their own people," Gogoi said here today on the sidelines of a
function launching a model health project here.
"The militants are coming as they are interested in
holding talks and this has made us more hopeful of holding
talks at the earliest," he added.
More militants were coming in and it was an indication
that they want a solution to their grievances through talks.
"They have realised that there is no point in an armed
struggle and that the development in Assam is only possible if
their problems are resolved through talks and discussions," he
added.
Asked whether talks would be held without the outfit`s
Commander-in-Chief Paresh Barua, Gogoi said that efforts were
on to bring him for talks but there was a "time limit and we
cannot wait for him indefinitely".
A group of 20 militants, who had reportedly
surrendered to Bangladesh, were handed over to Indian
officials on September 24.
The chief minister on Saturday had claimed that he had
no information about it and they were not in the custody of
Assam Police.
-PTI
