National   

PM offers to hold talks with insurgents

By Our Special Correspondent

GUWAHATI, APRIL 6. The Prime Minister today offered to hold talks with the militant outfits of the northeast such as the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) provided they gave up violence.

Launching the Bharatiya Janata Party's election campaign here, the Prime Minister said: "If we can initiate peace process with Pakistan there is no reason why we cannot hold talks with the militant outfits. But for that to happen they must give up arms. We cannot allow anyone to create disturbance within the country. Violence cannot bring any change, as the people want peace, construction not destruction," Mr. Vajpayee said in his appeal to the militant outfits to shun the path of violence.

The Prime Minister highlighted the accord signed with the now disbanded Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT), and the creation of a territorial council as an example of a militant outfit giving up violence and realising the need of resolving their problem through peaceful means. Besides, the Centre has also expedited the Naga peace process.

Mr. Vajpayee said though adequate funds had been released under various schemes for Assam they had not been fully utilised.

Introducing the party's candidate for the Guwahati Lok Sabha constituency, and singer, Bhupen Hazarika, the Prime Minister said he was very happy that Mr. Hazarika chose to join the BJP. "The Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, had invited Mr. Hazarika for tea. But he preferred to have tea with us. "

Mr. Hazarika sang one of his popular numbers in Assamese and translated it into English about how people from Mr. Vajpayee's Lucknow and even Rajasthan had come to Assam and mixed with the greater Assamese society.

Mr. Hazarika, in his short speech, described Mr. Vajpayee as a worshipper of peace. He promised to become a torchbearer of his (Vajpayee's) vision and lift up the darkness engulfing Assam, which he attributed to the abject negligence towards the State by the Congress during its five-decade-long rule.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National

News: Front Page | National | Tamil Nadu | Andhra Pradesh | Karnataka | Kerala | New Delhi | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Updates: Breaking News |

Stories in this Section

• PM offers to hold talks with insurgents
• Sonia's foreign origin issue is a statement of fact: AIADMK
• Not entering electoral politics now: Priyanka
• 'Options open on understanding in U.P.'
• We will build temple: Advani
• Advani declares assets
• Opportunity for peace must not be wasted: PM
• 'Centre will help EC implement Supreme Court directive on surrogate ads'
• CMC, Vellore, others offer to treat Pakistani girl
• Pakistan should give India MFN status, says Shashank
• India, France aero-naval exercise begins
• The Dehra Dun connection
• Congress disputes PM's denial
• EC orders transfer of Haryana DGP
• Congress, Left playing spoilsport: Mulayam
• A change in the mood of the people, says Omar
• Social security system under pressure: Jaswant
• Of beasts and beauties
• Supreme Court calls for steps to curb terrorism
• Theme for the day: road safety
• NTPC plan to sustain Kayamkulam project
• Defer licence fee payment by FM operators: TRAI
• Ready to ensure peaceful poll in J&K: CRPF
• Protest against Gujarat's denial of holiday on Good Friday
• Matching Bhupen in poetry
• IT slaps notice on Tata Sons
• Kolkata IIM accepts fee cut
• Few signs of an electoral wave as yet
• The Jaish-e-Mohammad's code of conduct
• 33 p.c. seats for women? You've got to be joking
• After two boycotts, Ukhrul is raring to vote
• A 'royal' battle on the cards
• PDP, Congress leaders resign in Kashmir
• POLL-POURRI
• Q&A: Sharad Yadav
• CANDIDATE WATCH
• MAKING UP FOR PEACE

Copyright © 2004, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu