Rajkhowa's family hails his surrender - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

The family members hailed the surrender of the United Liberation Front of Assom (ULFA) chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa and hoped the Government would make best use of this decision , and that peace would return to the region. Speaking to ANI, Rajkhowa's brother Ajoy said: "With his own decision he came all the way from Bangladesh to India for the purpose of bringing peace to the people of Assam. The Govt. of India has also responded positively and he (Arabinda) is sitting with them (Indian Government) for peace negotiations." "As a brother and as a family, my opinion is that, the government should honour the initiative been taken by him (Arabinda), because it is a very good sign for the people of Assam who have been working hard for bringing permanent peace in the state," he added. His brother claimed that Rajkhowa "neither surrendered nor was he arrested but came to India on his own to bring back peace in the region". "I wish both the parties to begin the peace talks at the earliest. I hope that all the ULFA cadres will come forward for honorable solution," Ajoy said. Ajoy claimed that he had never seen or met his brother since 1986, and heard about him only through the media. "If need arises, I will surely meet him and apprise him regarding the sentiments and demands of the people. But in the first place, it is the responsibility of the Government, intellectuals and the bureaucrats to approach the organization (ULFA) for bringing respectable and permanent solution against the long drawn ULFA revolution," he said. Rajkhowa's 99-year-old mother Miliki Baruah said she had no information about the arrival of Rajkhowa to his native village to see her. "I don't know whether he (Arabinda) is coming to me or not. I am feeling really happy But if he stays in Guwahati, how can I go to meet him? I can't see properly? I can't hear properly, how can I go? Isn't he coming here (Native Home)" , she said with tears rolling down her wrinkled face. Earlier, in the day, Arabinda was handed over to the Border Security Officials (BSF) by Bangladeshi security agencies at the Meghalaya border. According to reports he was handed over along with 10 others, including his wife and two children. All of them were taken to Guwahati for the completion of legal formalities. Meanwhile, ULFA commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah has disagreed with Rajkhowa's initiatives for peace.