Gogoi hopes for talks with Assam rebel groups

GUWAHATI - Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi hopes that with Bangladesh handing over National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) chief Ranjan Daimary alias D R Nabla, early talks with rebel groups operating in Assam could take place soon.

Speaking here on Sunday, Gogoi said: “We are still hoping that they give up violence and come forward for talks. The NDFB or the ULFA and everyone engaged in violence and thus various killings that took place in the state should come forward for talks. Lots of innocent people died in Dhemaji and other places in Assam. We want to say that problems cannot be solved through violence.”

Daimary who was handed over to India’s Border Security Force on Friday, is wanted in the 2008 Assam serial bomb blasts case and has been hiding in Bangladesh since then. India had raised the matter with Bangladesh several times at various levels.

He is opposing the ongoing peace talks with the Union Government.

The Border Security Force (BSF), which took Daimary into its custody from the BDR, later handed him over to the Assam Police. The Assam Police has taken Daimary to Guwahati under tight security.

In October 1986, Daimary formed the Bodo Security Force, which was later renamed as the NDFB.

Though the NDFB, has entered into a ceasefire agreement with the Government in May 2005, but it has mostly flouted the ground rules of agreement.

After the 2008 blast, the NDFB split into two factions - one supporting the ceasefire, led by B Sungthagra alias Dhirn Boro - and the other hardline faction, led by Daimary.

Daimary’s faction claims it is the real NDFB and has sought to establish a separate Bodoland.

Daimary was suspended from the outfit by the other faction subsequently. (ANI)