NEW DELHI, Nov 10 - The Centre is soon likely to wind up talks with the pro-talk faction of the ULFA, said Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju.
Interacting with a group of newsmen from North-east here today, Rijiju said the file on granting ST status to six communities of Assam is now with the Prime Minister. The file would then be sent to the Union Cabinet for approval before a memorandum of settlement is signed.
The Minister said that as the issue is also connected with the National Tribal Policy, it is taking time but the pro-talk faction need not be disheartened.
The Centre is also under pressure to sign the MoS with the pro-talk faction because of the elections in Assam. He said that necessary amendments would be referred to the Parliament for passage. Rijiju also said that he is hopeful of the MoS being signed before the Assembly election.
He added that the Union Home Ministry will also start talks with AASU to review the Assam Accord.
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh chaired a meeting to take stock of the Chakma Hajong issue and the on-going agitation in Manipur over the three Bills sent for Presidential assent.
On Chakma Hajong issue, Rijiju said that the Centre has no problem with the Supreme Court�s direction to grant them citizenship, but they will still have to procure the Inner Line Permit to stay in Arunachal Pradesh.
About the recent direction of the Meghalaya High Court on imposition of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act in parts of Meghalaya, Rijiju said that the Centre is examining the order and keeping its options open for moving the Supreme Court.
On political front, Rijiju said that BJP is confident of grabbing coming to power in Assam. He said that Assam cannot be compared with Bihar because the northeastern State election would be fought on issues, while in Bihar it was fought on caste-based politics.
He said that if the Congress in Assam aligns with AIUDF, BJP would stand to gain as people of the State would reject them.
