M A I N   N E W S

No sovereignty, says minister
Appeals to ULFA militants to give up violence

Tinsukia, January 7
The Central Government today assured the panic-stricken Hindi-speaking people of Assam of protection in the wake of a string of attacks by ULFA that left 48 persons dead and ruled out discussions on the banned group's demand for sovereignty for the state.

Some 1,500 persons blocked a national highway with bodies of 11 of the dead to protest the killings and demanded the deployment of the Army for their protection as Union Minister of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal toured the areas in Tinsukia and Dibrugarh districts affected by the violence.

Mr Jaiswal, who reviewed the situation at a meeting with Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and senior security and Army officials at the airport in Guwahati, told reporters there would be "no discussion on sovereignty" as demanded by ULFA.

"ULFA and all other militants attempting to challenge the country's sovereignty under a mistaken notion should realise that sovereignty will not be compromised and they will not be allowed to achieve their evil goals," he said.

Mr Jaiswal asked militants to give up violence and come for talks. "ULFA can discuss their demands with the government and solve their problems." He hinted that security operations would be launched in Assam in the coming days to root out ULFA. Additional security forces would be sent to the state for instilling confidence among the Hindi-speaking people, he said.

"I assure you that this won't happen again. The Assam Government and the Centre both condemn the killing of innocent people," Mr Jaiswal told protesters in Longswal.

Mr Jaiswal was visibly moved as he met wailing kin of the dead at the Assam Medical College Hospital in Dibrugarh. "We will wipe them (militants) out within six months," he told crying women with babies in their arms who met him. He instructed the Assam Government to tighten security, particularly for the Hindi-speaking people.

A high-level team from Bihar, including senior ministers, met victims of the violence in Tinsukia and Dibrugarh. — PTI