GUWAHATI, May 3 � Though the arrest of NDFB anti-talk faction chief Ranjan Daimary is viewed as a major diplomatic victory for India, the Government will keep mounting diplomatic pressure on Bangladesh to take action against the militants, particularly those belonging to the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB), who are still staying in the neighbouring country.
Highly placed official sources told The Assam Tribune that Ranjan, alias DR Nabla was kept under surveillance by the security forces of Bangladesh for quite some time and for at least 15 days, he was virtually kept under house arrest in the outskirts of Dhaka before being handed over to India in the early hours of May 1. Sources said that after the Government of Bangladesh handed over four top leaders of the ULFA including its chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa before Bangladesh Prime Minister�s visit to New Delhi last year, India kept the pressure on the neighbouring country to take similar kind of action against the other militant leaders staying in that country and the arrest of Ranjan turned out to be a major diplomatic coup for India.
Sources said that from the security point of view, the arrest of Ranjan Daimary was even more important than the arrests of the leaders of the ULFA. Though the arrests of the ULFA leaders definitely weakened the outfit, the all powerful commander-in-chief of the outfit, Paresh Baruah is still at large, while, on the other hand, Ranjan Daimary was the all powerful man in the anti-talk faction of the NDFB.
Sources said that after the arrest of Ranjan Daimary, the Government of India provided information about the whereabouts of several other militant leaders in Bangladesh and waiting for the response of the neighbouring country. Sources said that several top leaders of the ULFA including hardcore militants like Antu Chowdang, Drishti Rajkhowa and Apurba Baruah, all of whom are known to be close to Paresh Baruah, are still in Bangladesh. The ULFA has recently reactivated the central council headquarter in the Bakapura area of Sherpur district of Bangladesh and all the instructions to the cadres are routed through it. The Government of India has provided information about the ULFA base to Bangladesh on the basis of intelligence inputs and asked the neighbouring country to take action to evict it.
The whereabouts of Paresh Baruah is also shrouded in mystery as according to intelligence inputs, he might have returned to Bangladesh recently and the same information has also been provided to Bangladesh Government. However, the Government of Bangladesh is yet to accept the intelligence inputs to be correct.
Meanwhile, official sources also admitted that though the arrest of Ranjan Daimary is a major blow to the anti-talk faction of the NDFB, it would not be correct to believe that the outfit is finished as at least 200 cadres of the outfit are still at large and the possibility of them indulging in violence in retaliation to the arrest of their leader cannot be ruled out.
Sources also pointed out to an interesting fact regarding the cease-fire agreement with the NDFB, which was signed when Ranjan Daimary was the chief of the undivided outfit, he did not put his signature to a single communication with the Government and only the other office bearers of the outfit kept informing the Government that the cease-fire agreement was signed with the approval of the chairman.
Sources pointed out that in the first week of October, ,2004, the NDFB killed 47 persons in three days before sending a letter to the State Government on October 8 declaring a unilateral cease-fire. The Centre was initially reluctant to sign a cease-fire agreement with the NDFB but did so because of pressure from the State Government in May, 2005. Though the NDFB had several rounds of talks with the Government during the period from 2005 to 2008, Daimary did not come to India to attend any of the meetings and the outfit formally split following the serial blasts on October 30, 2008.
Our Jorhat Corresponent adds: Hemen Bora, secretary, Jorhat Bar Association has come forward willingly to stand on behalf of the anti-talks NDFB leader Ranjan Daimary since the Guwahati Lawyers� Association (GLA) resolved not to appear for anyone involved in the blasts on October 30, 2008.
When contacted, Hemen Bora told this correspondent, �I have come forward to appear on behalf of Daimary on my own�. He further added, �equality before law should always be maintained. A person should not be driven by any emotion or personal bias. Law should be allowed to take its own course sans emotion or speculation�.
Hemen Bora was injured and his brother Debajit Bora died in the blast at Jorhat on August 7, 2007. He has still three splinters of the bomb inside his right leg and is undergoing prolonged treatment.
He further said that he is going to take part a private discussion with the family members of Ranjan Daimary this evening. �Daimary has been sent to police custody under two cases (SUO 2/98 and U/A 10-13), one is extortion and another is possession of illegal arms and ammunition. Hundreds of such cases are being tried in several courts of Assam. So, why Ranjan Daimary should be deprived of proper justice?� said Hemen Bora to this correspondent. Bora also revealed that many lawyers of Guwahati encouraged him to proceed in this direction.
