Skip to content Skip to navigation

Another Logjam in Peace Process

Our Correspondent
Guwahati: A war of word between Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and peace broker Mamoni Roisom Goswami may put the peace process in yet another logjam.

Talking to a vernacular daily on its Monday issue, the award winning writer says she is not satisfied the way Mr Gogoi urges her to rush to Bangladesh.

“If need be I am ready to leave for Bangladesh with Rebati but it must be a decent appeal.”

“Let the Government make necessary arrangement to go to Bangladesh. I will do it tomorrow itself. But it will not be my personal initiative. The Chief Minister knows: how a top ranked leader of a banned outfit can be met.”

She rues that she finds it difficult it ti understand what Mr Gogoi says these days.

Notably, in a recent press conference Mr Gogoi said, “let Mamoni Raisom Goswami meet Paresh Baruah or Arabinda Rajkhowa and convince them to come forward for talk, as direct contact with them is necessary for talks.”

Mr Gogoi also said it was strange that Mamoni Raisom Dr Goswami was maintaining silence on the Hajo blast. According to Mr Gogoi, “she has not condemned the incident, which I feel is rather strange.”

It may be recalled the entire peace process was revived recently while a forum headed by the professor with Delhi University called on Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in Delhi and urged him to revive the process.

When the delegation called on National Security Adviser MK Narayanan sought a direct proposal to the Government from the ULFA top brass to this effect.

The Chief Minister further asserted that the Centre’s stand on talks with the ULFA was clear, he said direct contact with the top leadership of the outfit was necessary for the purpose.

Comments

Sanjoy Hazarika's picture

What is this" peace process" that people are writing about and so excited about, especially the media. You have a group of well-meaning people who do not have any independent contact with Ulfa, as far as I can see, and certainly no clear authorization from them to negotiate. All that this group is doing is requesting the Govt. of India to "talk". The GOI has said it won't until Ulfa leaders come for talks unconditionally. This, the latter have said, they won't. So what peace process are we talking about -- it has no support from either side and is obviously not regarded seriously by too many people in the state and other parts of the NE. It would be better is the media took a dispassionate look at the whole issue instead of rushing into print or broadcast every time. In this case, we have a group of well-meaning citizens wanting to promote peace, which of course is commendable but does not go very far. It is important to note that the PCG, which has set up by Ulfa, may be defunct but it has not been disbanded.

Pages

Add new comment

Random Stories

Concern over contamination of Kopili river

19 Jun 2012 - 1:22am | Anup Biswas
The Kopili Hydro Electric Project (KHEP) of North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Ltd, at Umrangso in Dima Hasao may face dire consequence due to turning of river and reservoir water acidic...

Sensitization-cum-Awareness Programme for Technology Information Facilitation Programme

30 Oct 2007 - 9:08am | editor
The department DSIR, Ministry of S...

Tremor strikes Assam

13 Mar 2010 - 1:44pm | editor
A moderate tremor struck Assam and it's neighbouring states unleashing panic among the people on Friday. The quake took place at 4:53 in the wee hours when a section of the people came out to the...

Trader shot at

17 Feb 2014 - 10:41pm | AT News
Suspected NDFB-S militants shot at a local businessman in Kokrajhar district on Monday.According to information, identified as Babu Ali, the local businessman in Kajigaon was shot at by three...

Other Contents by Author

Police and forest guards arrested 6 poachers during a joint operation in and around Kaziranga National Park during the last three days. Operations were launched in the Park since the killing of a Rhino on last Sunday and six persons were arrested.A rifle was also recovered during the operation and the poachers have been remanded to judicial custody.
The Assam government and the ruling Congress on Thursday agreed to go out against the Bangladeshi immigrants. A crucial meeting of ministers, parliamentary secretaries and Congress leaders at Koinadhara decided to stand united against the immigrants who intruded into the state after 1971. Chaired by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, the meeting decided to publish a white paper on the Assam Accord implementation on October 7. The decision assumes significance in the wake of the statewide call against the Bangladeshi immigrants.
The Assam government is trying its best to foil the bandh. It further directed the employees to ensure normalcy in official functionings on Thursday. In a notification issued on Wednesday, the government asked it employees to ensure normal functioning and attendance in all government offices and undertakings in the state in view of the bandh by BJP and supported by several parties. All heads of offices and departments have been further instructed to deduct pay and allowances for unauthorized absence from offices and duties tomorrow and to initiate disciplinary action for such unauthorized absence. According to the notification, the absent employees would have to face pay cuts and the...
Normal life across the state comes to a grinding halt under the impact of the country wide bandh call in protest against FDI in retail, diesel price hike and cap on LPG cylinders. Vehicles refused to ply on the roads early in the morning when the bandh began along with others parts of the country. Schools and colleges, shops and markets are remaining closed. The bandh is total and peaceful. There is no report of any untoward incident anywhere in the state.
Dispur rolls up its sleeves to expedite the process to rehabilitate the refugees in the riot-hit BTAD areas and Dhubri. A ministerial panel met with Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in Dispur to discuss the steps to rehabilitate the genuine refugees. Gogoi asked the authorities the scan the land holding documents of the refugees. Scrutiny of land holding documents of the refugees is under process in Kokrajhar and Chirang districts.
Dispur on Tuesday evinced its keen interest to have a consulate to boost trade in Bangladesh. Disclosing this, an official statement sad that the issue was raised during a meeting between Indian High Commisioner to Bangladesh Pankaj Saran and Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in Dispur. Gogoi asked Saran to take up the matter with concernend officials in Dhaka. During the meeting, the chief minister briefed the Indian High Commissioner about problems related to detection and deportation of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants residing in Assam and asked him to take up the issue with the neighbouring country's government at the diplomatic level.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi o Tuesday faced flak for supporting 51 per cent FDI in multi-brand retail. CPI(M) criticized him alleging it an attempt to introduce the concept in the state will affect both farmers and consumers. CPI(M) state secretary Uddhav Barman told reporters in Guwahati that Gogoi has supported Centre's decision to allow FDI in multi-brand retail. But any attempt to allow foreign companies to open such shops in Assam will be detrimental. He said that Gogoi has supported the Centre's stand without going into details regarding cost-benefit analysis.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that the state falls shortage of 280 MW during peak hour and a shortage of 190 MW during off-peak hours. But if everything goes as planned, there will be no power cuts in Assam in a few years time. Before that Gogoi appraised Union power minister M Veerappa Moily of the state’s state’s power situation in presence of state Power Minister Pradyut Bordoloi. The projects that came up for discussion included the Lower Subansiri Hydro Power Project and Bongaigaon Thermal Power Project as well as the implementation of the Rajiv Gandhi Rural Electrification Projects.
Union Power Minister M Veerappa Moily on Monday said that he had seen no threat to UPA government after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee threatened to withdraw support if FDI decision is not given second threat.Talking to reporters in Guwahati, Moily said that FDI is a strong decision we have taken and this is going to transform the entire economic scenario.
A slew of power projects is waiting to get Central help. Dispur urged the Union Minister to ensure adequate coal supply to Margherita Thermal Power Project and gas supply for the Amguri Power Project. Power Minister Pradyut Bordoloi made a presentation on the status of the various power projects in the state and its various requirements and shortcomings. The projects include Lower Subansiri Hydro Power Project, Bongaigaon Thermal Power Project and Implementation of Rajiv Gandhi Rural Electrification Project in Tinsukia and Goalpara districts.