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‘Humane’ politics over Paresh mother

Miliki Baruah, the name of a most wanted insurgent leader takes the centre-stage of politics six months before the assembly polls in Assam. Union sports minister Sarbananda Sonowal was the first top political leaders to have knelt down before the bed ridden octogenarian mother of ULFA leader Paresh Baruah.

Flanked by his close associates on Saturday, Sonowal talked to her much to the delight of the entire family members. But Sonowal’s healing visit failed to draw any significance a day after the Centre spoke ill of chief minister Tarun Gogoi for announcing safe passage to Paresh Baruah on humanitarian ground. Much to his major embarrassment, Sonowal’s counterpart in home affairs Kiren Rijiju accused Gogoi of compromising the national interest by inviting the most wanted “terrorist” to visit his ailing mother. This is bound to hamper BJP’s poll prospect. Thus Gogoi won the first round of game over the politics of safe passage although, the refusal of the Rs 1 lakh assistance for medical treatment disappointed him initially.

But Gogoi is still trying to get yet another score by reiterating his safe passage for Paresh Baruah that would help him refurbish the image of the poll bound ruling party. On the other and, BJP’s central leadership won’t be comfortable with Sonowal and his damage repairing exercise after the home ministry’s readiness to issue red corner notice against the dreaded Paresh Baruah who is said to have been hiding in Myanmar.

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