Assam CM Tarun Gogoi said his government favoured a safe passage to the group's leaders if they came to the negotiating table for peace talks.
Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi today said his government has received "encouraging signals" from militant outfit Ulfa (United Liberation Front of Asom) for holding peace talks, and favoured a safe passage to the group's leaders if they came to the negotiating table.
"A good development is taking place. That is the signal I'm getting. It's moving in the right direction...Signals (from Ulfa) are encouraging," he told a press conference here, as Ulfa chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa was quoted by a TV channel as having expressed his desire to hold peace talks.
Asked the whether Assam government will offer a safe passage to top Ulfa leaders if they came for talks, Gogoi said, "I am for it." He appealed to the top Ulfa leaders, including the outfit's 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Barua, to come for negotiations.
He added, "Union home minister P Chidambaram spoke to me on Arabinda Rajkhowa's detention, but did not give me details. The signals are encouraging and we want to move step-by-step. All I can tell you is that some breakthrough has happened."
Asked if he was in the dark, Gogoi said, "I'm not in the dark, I'm in between. You will know everything within a few hours or sooner where Arabinda Rajkhowa is. P Chidamabaram knows everything as the home ministry is under him."
Stating that it was not necessary for everything between the Union home ministry and the State government to be disclosed, he said, "Arabinda was in Bangladesh, so the home ministry is responsible."
Asked where Rajkhowa was, Gogoi said, "Sometimes, secrecy has to be maintained. There may be some reasons for his location not being disclosed."
Asked if 53-year-old Rajkhowa had been taken to Delhi, Gogoi replied, "I can't say and I have no idea."
On whether he expected a backlash following reported developments relating to Rajkhowa, he replied, "Nobody can rule out a backlash. I have alerted my officers and the government of Assam has to be prepared for it at all times."
He said, "There must be an end to the mindless violence in the state. We are keeping our doors open; when they (Ulfa) come for talks, they have to abjure violence, give up arms and the sovereignty issue."
Asked if National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) chairman Rajat Daimary, who was opposed to a dialogue, had been arrested, Gogoi replied, "My information is that he has not been detained."
He asked Paresh Barua, who is opposed to peace talks, to come to the negotiating table. Barua is reported to have fled Bangladesh, and is now said to be in a neighbouring country.
"Barua should come for talks and our doors are always open for negotiations. I will be happy if he sees the writing on the wall and the desire of the people of Assam for peace," Gogoi said.
"If he comes, it's good. We will be too happy, as it is the desire of the people for an end to the senseless violence and for insurgency to come to an end. If he comes on his own, we will be very happy," Gogoi said.
He, however, said the talks could be held without Barua.
The Assam chief minister said the government was ready to hold talks with the Ulfa leadership on issues like granting of autonomy and giving some financial power.
"We can discuss about some autonomy, some little financial power," he said.
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