MANGALDAI, June 10 - Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju on Friday ruled out any efforts to bring Paresh Barua, the �C-in-C� of the ULFA (I) faction for any dialogue with the Union Government. The Minister was talking to the media on the sidelines of a public function organised here at Gandhi Maidan on the occasion of the completion of three years of the Modi Government at the Centre.
In reply to questions from the media regarding the recent spurt of violence by the militants of the Paresh Barua-led faction of the ULFA especially in upper Assam, the Minister reiterated, � Peace is the first condition to talk with any militant group and there is no scope of talk with any militant group unless they shun violence.� However , he expressed his happiness with the recent progress of dialogue with the pro-talk faction of the ULFA. �Talks are progressing in the right direction and we can expect a fruitful solution within a short period,� the Minister added.
Meanwhile, addressing the audience as the chief guest of the public function titled �Sab Ka Saath, Sab Ka Vikas Sanmilan� to showcase the achievements of the Narendra Modi-led NDA Government at the Centre, Rijiju claimed to have curbed the syndicate of corruption prevailing in different offices of the Union Government Ministries in New Delhi after they came to power. He said, �If you are to approve any work for Assam or the North East, you had to pay commission in advance. Such practices had been prevailing in the Central Block campus where my office is situated. But we have driven away those persons from the offices and now no work is left pending in the Ministries even for a single penny. I have already warned the higher officials of the Central Government in the conference of the chief ministers that now it is the Government of Narendra Modi and there will be no tolerance for corruption.
He went on to say that the Government is accountable to the public and Modi has directed them to present the accounts of the Government activities for the three last years before the public in each district and it is only because of his direction that this function has been organised at Mangaldai. Rijiju also praised Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal as a very simple and honest leader with zero tolerance against corruption. He also gave an account of how he helped the youths from Assam and the North East to join Delhi Police and also other Central security agencies. He urged the people of Mangaldai to consider him as their additional MP and assured full cooperation in sanctioning any developmental project from Delhi without any delay. Prior to his speech, a short documentary reflecting the three years of achievement of the Modi-led Central Government was also screened for the audience.
The meeting which began with the welcome address from Deputy Commissioner, Darrang Ashok Kr Barman was also attended by several distinguished guests including Rajya Sabha, MP from Uttar Pradesh, Shiv Pratap Shukla, three BJP MLAs Gurujyoti Das, Binanda Kr Saikia and Bhabesh Kalita, Superintendent of Police, Darrang Sreejith T, Chief Executive Officer, Darrang Zila Parishad Bhupesh Ch Das and District BJP president Nilima Devi among others.
The daylong celebration also featured cultural presentation by different cultural groups, exhibition by a section of Government departments including Agriculture, Fishery, Veterinary, Krishi Vigyan Kendra etc., showcasing their achievements in centrally-sponsored schemes in recent times.
