Operation against ULFA imminent

Guwahati, Sept 24: A full scale operation against the ULFA seems imminent, but the top mandarins of the Center is holding back not willing to play into the hands of the militant organization, which is deliberately provoking with an objective in mind.

This was revealed by Union Home Ministry officials saying that the renewed extortion, killing of security persons as well as tea estate manager were part of the outfit's strategy to get army operation started.

''An ongoing operation gives the ULFA the much required spark to get going as they start getting mass support playing the Army card to the innocent people. But this time, we are a little more cautious'' he said.

''We cannot sit idle when the ULFA is operating openly in upper Asom. But we would also like to tell the people of the state how serious we are for peace and how ULFA to maintain its extortion racket is playing with the ideas,'' he said.

The United Liberation Front of Asom(ULFA)'s refusal to give any letter to Center expressing desire to hold talks, plunging the peace process into darkness of uncertainty are clear evidences of their strategy, he said.

At New Delhi, two days of marathon discussion remained inconclusive at PMO level to resurrect the peace process as the security agencies are dead against extension of ceasefire, official sources said.

ULFA Commander-In-Chief Paresh Barua's hard stand could not have come at a worst time when he said that they would never issue any letter as sought by the Centre, expressing willingness to talk.

'' We simply cannot decide unless we have the full central executive meeting and that can be done only with the release of the jailed leaders. We only want what had been assured by the Centre in the last PCG level meeting,'' said Mr Barua. His tough stand should now swing the mood in favour of the security agencies even as bureaucrats and peace initiators Dr Indira Goswami and Mr Reboti Phukan were trying to resurrect the talk.

Both Mr Phukan and Dr Goswami were not forthcoming when contacted, but could be presumed from their body language that the things were not moving in right direction.

Technically the ceasefire expired on Wednesday night itself but the security agencies are holding on to it. '' But we will not wait more as extortions are going on in full swing,'' said a senior official source.

The government wanted a letter from the ULFA expressing its desire for talk, composition of the negotiating team and broad parameter.

'' Once we get that we shall release the jailed ULFA leaders,'' said Home Secretary V K Duggal.

But the ULFA is not in a mood to relent. '' Why they are backtracking from their own commitments. In last PCG level met they said that the state government had no objection in releasing the jailed leaders and the Center too had no problem. The State Government on record said that they had no problem. Then why they were not released? How can we trust the Centre at a later stage'' said Mr. Barua through a telephonic statement to newspapers last night.

The security agencies are of the opinion that ULFA has been given enough time to embrace peace. '' It seems the ULFA is not at all serious to the whole issue. They are into extortion. Huge extortion notes have already been served. If we go for an operation people of Asom will not blame us,'' said a senior counter insurgency specialist.

UNI