GUWAHATI, Nov 25 - Expressing concern over the attempts of the United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) to revive itself by taking advantage of the confusing political scenario in Assam, former Director General of Police GM Srivastava said that the outfit may try to play a role in the ensuing panchayat elections and then the Lok Sabha polls, particularly in the upper Assam districts.
Talking to The Assam Tribune, Srivastava, who had also headed the police force in Tripura, said a multi-pronged strategy would have to be adopted by the government to prevent revival of militancy in the State. He pointed out that the problem cannot be dealt with only by use of force, and there is a need for changing the perception of the youths to prevent them from joining militancy. �There is a need to strengthen contact between the administration and the people, and more job opportunities would have to be created,� he said.
Srivastava said the confusing political scenario in the backdrop of National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, has helped the ULFA(I) to gain ground. He expressed the view that the government would have to clear the perception on these issues. He admitted that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is creating a perception that the political space for the indigenous people would be shrinking and that is why even a district-level leader of the All Assam Students� Union (AASU) recently joined militancy.
The former DGP pointed out that according to reports, in recent months, about 60 to 70 youths have joined the ULFA(I) and the leaders of any militant outfit would like to get them involved in an act of violence so that they cannot come back easily. At the same time, the outfit would require funds to maintain the new recruits and procure weapons for them. That is why, the extortion drive is likely to go up and the government would have to find out ways to check the fund flow to the militant outfit, he added. He also said that if the outfit manages to indulge in a few acts of violence and extortions, the routes that they use would become safer as the people would be scared to inform the police and security forces about the movement of the ultras. �Today, the outfit has been able to make inroads in upper Assam and tomorrow they will try in other parts of the State,� he warned.
Commenting on the claim of the ULFA(I) that it was not involved in the killing of five persons at Dhola, Srivastava said the pattern of the incident points to the outfit�s involvement in it. He said that in the past also, the militant outfit disowned responsibility of the incidents where the public sentiment went against it. The ULFA had claimed that it was not involved in the killing of women and children at Dhemaji but later it was proved that it was the handiwork of the outfit, he added.
The former DGP said that over the years, political aspirants have been maintaining contacts with the ULFA and other militant outfits for their own gain. �In the 2001 elections, the ULFA went all-out against a political party and the outfit has always been trying to play a role in the elections. A section of people also want revival of militancy for their own gains,� he added.
