NEW DELHI, April 3 � Confusion prevailed following reports of National Investigation Agency (NIA) busting a publicity liaison cell of outlawed ULFA located in West Delhi here recently. ULFA spokesman Arunodoy Dohotiya reportedly escaped minutes before the raid.
The reports of the raids on the anti-talk faction of the outfit came days ahead of the third formal dialogue between the Centre and ULFA scheduled on April 9.
However, there was no official confirmation of the raids by NIA, with Home Minister, P Chidambaram denying any knowledge of the raids in Janakpuri. The news of the raids was flashed by a local TV channel in Assam.
�Let me find out, nobody has briefed me on this. I have not read about anywhere. Nobody has brought it to my notice. But I will find out,� was all Chidambaram said replying to questions about the news report. Sources in the Home Ministry, however, denied it, stating that they have no reports from any of the agencies about such raids being conducted in the national capital during the last few days.
According to the news report, NIA team allegedly raided an apartment hired by a computer science student hailing from Gohpur in Sonitpur district. The flat was reportedly shared by three other youths including the elusive spokesman of the anti-talk faction. All of them escaped before the NIA raiding team could lay their hands on them.
Interestingly, the pro-talk group of ULFA led by its chairman, Arabinda Rajkhowa, is arriving in the national capital next week for dialogue with Union Home Secretary, RK Singh. Centre�s interlocutor, PC Haldar, as well as Assam Government officials are likely to participate in the dialogue.
The next round is expected to be crucial as ULFA leaders would seek response from Government of India on its list of demands. The Government of India in the last round last October had sought some clarifications from the ULFA delegation regarding their charter of demands. The pro-talk group had submitted its charter of demands to Union Home Minister, P Chidambaram and Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi on August 10, last year.
The ULFA group has called for a fresh look at the issue of Assam�s sovereignty, amendment to the Indian Constitution to protect the rights and identity of the indigenous people of Assam, honourable solution to the three-decade-old armed conflict led by the ULFA, address the issue of illegal migration from Bangladesh into Assam besides status of 50 missing ULFA leaders and cadres since 2005.
The ULFA group also suggested that separate group of negotiators be appointed to discuss the different aspects of their charter of demands.
