GUWAHATI, April 3 � The Assam State Council of the Communist Party of India today reiterated its demand for releasing the jailed ULFA leaders to start the peace negotiations.
�The Assam unit of the CPI, since the beginning has been demanding to initiate of the peace talks without any pre-condition. All the issues between the government and the ULFA should be resolved through mutual talks,� said Promod Gogoi, member of the national executive of the CPI, addressing a press meet today.
�Majority of ULFA leadership is now in jail, and they should be immediately released by
the State government to initiate political dialogue and find out acceptable solution,� he added.
The party also demanded the withdrawal of the Armed Forced Special Power Act from Assam without any delay to create favourable atmosphere for talks with the militant groups of the State.
Condemning the alleged police atrocities on the peasants demonstrating in front of the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Dhemaji on March 30, the party said that the people have fundamental rights under the constitution to present their grievances before the administration.
On the issue of flood control and erosion, Gogoi said that in Assam, both the issues are major problems for survival of common people and economic development of the State.
�The Government of India brought the Brahmaputra Flood Control Act in the Parliament in 1980, yet the flood wrecks havoc in the State every year. Assam possesses 40 per cent of the water resources of the country, which we need to utilize for our economic development,� he mentioned.
The party is of opinion that the issue of flood control and erosion should be examined and decided by experts taking into consideration the peculiar situation in Assam and the neighbouring countries.
The State unit of the party also urged upon the Government of India to include six communities of Assam, namely Koch-Rajbongshi, Tai-Ahom, Moran, Muttak, Chutia and tea communities in the list of ST (P) as recommended by the joint select committee of the Parliament in 1998.