Sovereignty was not on ULFA's agenda, says founder member - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

The United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) founder member Bhupen Boroghain has claimed that sovereignty was not on the ULFA's agenda when it was formed. ULFA was formed on April 7, 1979 and Boroghain was one of the seven members who attended the first meeting at an amphitheatre of Abhom Royalty in Sivasagar in Assam. In last three decade ULFA is largely responsible for promoting insurgency in the state. Of the seven founders, only one is an active ULFA member while others are either dead or have parted ways with the group. Boroghain left the group in 1983, and since then has been leading a normal life. Speaking to ANI Boroghain said: "That time sovereignty was never discussed. One member discussed about it, personally he told us about the sovereignty issue and said that there is no alternative to it but the issue was not on the cards of the group." In the past 30 years, numerous cases of blasts, extortion and killing of innocent people have been registered against the group. Currently the top ULFA commanders are behind bars, after they were nabbed in Bangladesh and handed over to the Union Government. Boroghain expressed hope that the government's efforts to persuade the outlawed group to come for negotiations will bear fruit. "So I think when it will be discussion table, there will be some alternative, so within our constitution there are so many heads, they can help us solve the problem of ULFA, so without sitting for negotiations how is it possible," he added. Because of the insurgency, development of the region has been affected. People of Assam today want an end to violence so that normalcy and peace can return. The surrender of militant cadres and Centre's efforts to initiate talks with insurgent groups has given a hope to people in northeast.