GUWAHATI, May 26 � All is not well in the process of talks with the militant outfits of Assam as at least two outfits have accused the Government of India of giving �preferential treatment� to the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and demanded that the laws should be equal for all.
Highly placed official sources told The Assam Tribune that the pro-talk faction of the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) recently sent a letter to the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh alleging that same rules were not applied in case of all the militant outfits of the region. The outfit, which now calls itself NDFB (Progressive) welcomed the decision of the ULFA to come for talks, but at the same time said that the Government showed extraordinary softness towards the ULFA.
The NDFB (P) demanded that the Government should clarify whether the ULFA members surrendered arms or any agreement of suspension of operation was signed with the outfit. The letter said that as far as the people of
Assam know, the ULFA did not surrender weapons nor any agreement on suspension of operations was signed. Despite that, senior Ministers of the Government of India were hobnobbing with the leaders of the ULFA, the letter said. The NDFB (P) demanded that the Government should clarify whether the ban on the ULFA has been withdrawn.
The yardstick for talks with all militant outfits was different from that of the ULFA and the Government failed to force the ULFA members to move to the designated camps and there was no restriction on the movement of the ULFA leaders as was the case with other militant outfits. The ULFA leaders have been allowed to address public meetings. They have also been allowed to collect money in the name of donations while if other militant outfits do the same, they are accused of extortions, the letter added.
The NDFB (P) went on to allege that the ULFA was treated above the law because it is an �Assamese outfit�. It alleged that the �chauvinist Assam Government� always treated Assamese people as above the law and the Government of India is also dancing to the tunes of the Assam Government to hurt the sentiments of the indigenous groups.
Sources said that the DHD(J), commonly known as the Black Widow group, has also echoed similar sentiments in a letter to the Government of India.
