NEW DELHI, Feb 4 - The anti-talk faction of ULFA is in talks with the Government of India and a positive outcome is likely, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly told BJP MPs on Tuesday.
Addressing a meeting of the BJP Parliamentary Board here in the Parliament House, the Prime Minister dwelt at length on the North East, a BJP MP told this newspaper.
Sources said that the Prime Minister informed the BJP MPs that the Government of India was in talks with the Paresh Baruah faction of the ULFA and was trying to bring them over ground. It will be good if this faction comes on board, the Prime Minister said in the closed door meeting.
The elusive ULFA (I) commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah however has been denying that his faction is keen on talks with the Government of India.
Sources said that Modi focused on the recent Bodo Accord stating that the people of Assam were initially apprehensive over division of the State but when the Accord was signed all doubts were cleared.
�People were apprehensive that Bodoland would be given but after signing of the Accord people of Assam were satisfied,� he said.
He said that all Bodo groups have now come over ground. He said that around 4000 people have lost their lives during the Bodo movement.
The Prime Minister also said that the Bru-Reang Agreement signed by the Government of India and Governments of Mizoram, Tripura, will provide relief and succour to over 35,000 Bru-Reang refugees.
The surrendering of over 85 cadres of the NLFT in Tripura stand testimony to the continued commitment and vision for the overall development and peace of the North East.
Modi said that his government has given top priority to development of the North East. �The earlier governments did not give much importance to development of the North East,� he observed.
Meanwhile, official sources today confirmed that Modi shall be visiting Kokrajhar to participate in the celebrations of the signing of the Bodo Agreement on February 7.
More than 4,00,000 people are expected to attend the programme. A cultural programme of ethnic groups of Assam is being organised by the State Government, to showcase the diversity of the State.
The Prime Minister will address the gathering to hail the historic Bodo Agreement signed in January this year, by including the leading stakeholders under one framework.
In a tweet from his personal handle the Prime Minister termed the day as �a very special day for India� and that the accord, �will lead to transformative results for Bodo people, ushering in a new dawn of peace, harmony and togetherness�.
The Prime Minister, in his tweet said, �Bodo Agreement stands out for many reasons. Those who were previously associated with armed resistance groups will now be entering the mainstream and contributing to our nation�s progress.�
