[Assam] Govt-ULFA talks - Letters to the editor, AT

[Ram Sarangapani]

There's been some talk about talks now. So they probably will talk.

And, if the talks do take place, the advice from Mr. Dutta seems reasonable:
"The ULFA leaders..."

should therefore diplomatically wrest all statutory benefits from the
Government, which Assam has been deprived of since 1947."
Mr. Dutta seems to have got it just about right. Anyone else wants to take a
gander at this:-)?

--Ram
_______

*Govt-ULFA talks
*

The ULFA leaders should seriously review the history of Assam. Had Assam not
been rescued by the British from the clutches of the

marauding Burmese army and the Treaty of Yandaboo subsequently signed in
1826, there would have been no existence of Assam as of today. Since

then, Assam has been a part of India. Another point that merits
consideration is that besides its geographical boundaries, sovereignty of a
State requires

many other things of vital importance. If for example the sovereignty of
Assam is attained, what would be the mode of government? Military, democracy
or autocracy? The

ULFA leaders have not made this point clear. Indian sovereignty, to my mind,
resembles a mature coconut. It has an outer circumferance like a
geographical

boundary. Social and economic justice, besides equality of status and of
opportunity guaranteed by the Constitution of India are like the sweet
kernal inside. The ULFA leaders

should therefore diplomatically wrest all statutory benefits from the
Government, which Assam has been deprived of since 1947. The Government too
should be thoughtful and lenient

while considering certain demands of the ULFA which have mass backing.

 – Yours etc., HARENDRA NATH DUTTA, Ambari, Fatasil, Guwahati