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Tarun Gogoi visits ULFA chief's village

Special Correspondent

Centre, State Government trying to keep alive ULFA problem: Asom Gana Parishad

GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Sunday visited Jeraigaon, the native village of United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) chief Paresh Barua, in upper Assam's Dibrugarh district and met his 85-year-old mother, Miliki Barua. Mr. Gogoi also attended a Bihu function organised by the villagers.

ULFA General Secretary Anup Chetia, recently released from a Dhaka jail, also hails from the same village, about 35 km from Dibrugarh town.

Welcoming Mr. Gogoi, Mr. Barua's brother Bikul Barua said that this was for the first time that any Chief Minister had set foot in the village after independence. He said all sides must strive for peace and that talks must begin between the Government and the ULFA.

Ms. Barua told Mr. Gogoi that the Government should hold peace talks with the ULFA to solve the insurgency problem. She also lauded the role of noted litterateur Indira Goswami, who was there with Mr. Gogoi, for her efforts to bring the militant outfit to the negotiation table. The people of Jeraigaon had invited Mr. Gogoi and Ms. Goswami to send the message to the ULFA that they were solidly behind the peace initiative.

Mr. Gogoi assured the octogenarian Ms. Barua that the State Government had been making all efforts to bring the ULFA to the negotiation table and has been backing Dr. Goswami in her efforts.

While addressing the Bihu function, Dr. Goswami expressed the hope that the peace initiatives of the Jeraigaon people would help expedite the ongoing peace process. She also said that the Prime Minister's Office would shortly send a letter to the ULFA.

Mr. Gogoi said that the State Government would give top priority to the development of Jeraigaon.

At Paresh Barua's house, the Chief Minister gave a patient hearing to Ms. Barua, as family members offered him traditional Assamese food specially prepared for the Bihu celebration.

On Sunday, the AGP accused the Congress-led Government at the Centre and the State of trying to keep alive ULFA problem.

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