No compromise on the issue of sovereignty: ULFA advisor

ULFA advisor Bhimakanta Buragohain, who was produced at the Tezpur Sessions Court, told reporters that the outfit would have come forward for talks much earlier, if they had to give up the issue of sovereignty.

ULFA advisor Bhimakanta Buragohain alias 'Mama' today asserted that the outfit would make no compromise on the issue of sovereignty.

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Buragohain, who was produced at the Tezpur Sessions Court, told reporters that the outfit would have come forward for talks much earlier, if they had to give up the issue of sovereignty.

"The possibility of talks in the present scenario appears to be remote as all prominent leaders of the outfit are either in jail or outside the country," he said.

The Central Executive Committee members of the outfit had to meet together and decide on the issue of talks but "being either in jail or outside the country, this was not possible at present." He called upon the government to have a "positive will" regarding talks and create a situation where the ULFA members could meet and take the process of talks forward.

Asked whether talks without ULFA Commander-in-Chief Paresh Barua was possible or not, Borgohain said that only when the central executive committee members meet can such a decision be taken.

A Citizen Forum, formed to facilitate talks between the Centre and ULFA, had recently called to discuss the issue of sovereignty even if it cannot be granted but Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi rejected it saying that the issue of sovereignty cannot be negotiated upon.