ULFA gives its Chairman 3 months ultimatum to rejoin

Guwahati, Apr 29: Accusing ULFA's Chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa of compromising with the outfit's ideals, the anti-talk faction of the militant group today gave an ultimatum to him to return to “active duty” within three months.

In an email to media houses, ULFA anti-talk faction Assistant Information and Publicity Secretary Arunudoy Asom said that in case of failure to comply with the deadline, the outfit would be forced to change its leadership.

“The ULFA as a whole is very humbly requesting our Chairman to return to lead the organisation breaking free of Indian control within three months of issuance of this call,” the statement said.

It further added: “Otherwise, the vacant Chair will have to be filled by the constitutional process empowered to the office bearers and members of the unbound (anti-talk faction) ULFA at the end of the above deadline.”

Mr. Asom said ULFA constitution “has not given any one, from chairman down to ordinary members, any power to compromise with the ideals of the organisation.”

Mr. Asom said that during his underground days, Mr. Rajkhowa used to be adamant on the question of ‘sovereignty'

“But after being in prison, curiously he stopped insisting on the sovereignty issue... his words seem to carry a different meaning to the stand of the organisation,” the statement said.

Mr. Rajkhowa heads the pro-talk faction of ULFA that is currently in talks with the union government. While two rounds of talks have been held between the two sides, the next round is scheduled to be held at New Delhi in May.