GUWAHATI, May 10 � The All Assam Tribal Sangha (AATS ) today asked the State as well as the Union governments to initiate peace talks with the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB), as according to it, arrest of Ranjan Daimary would not solve the NDFB problem permanently.
The Sangha members, alleging of discrimination against Daimary by the State government, said that the rebel leader should be given the same status as Arabinda Rajkhowa or Raju Barua of the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA).
�With the arrest of Daimary, the government has found a suitable opportunity to initiate talks and solve the NDFB problem for good. NDFB is still considered as a strong rebel group of the region, which should be brought across the table for negotiations, to solve all the problems through dialogues,� Aditya Khakhlari, general secretary of the AATS mentioned.
The Sangha also appealed to the Gauhati Lawyers� Association to review their decision of not providing legal aid to Daimary.
�The court is still to decide the real culprit behind the October 30 blasts. In such circumstances, how can the advocates decide that he is guilty? Thus, he should not be deprived of legal aid,� Khakhlari mentioned.
�Despite his arm injury, he was handcuffed with his hands to the rear, and his family members were not allowed to meet him. This act of the State government and the administration would not send a right message to the society,� he added.
�It is the prime responsibility of the State government to take care that communal feelings do not grow up in the State on such issues,� he added.
At the same time, the Sangha also rapped the State government for its failure to give a proper definition of �Assamese community�. �Though the Union government had asked the Government of Assam to define Assamese society, the State government has still not been able to do so. In certain circumstances, it becomes pertinent to know that the sons of the soil including Bodo, Rabha, Mising and Deori communities are officially considered as Assamese or not,� Khakhlari added.
