Gogoi justifies Centre's decision to call off ceasefire

New Delhi, Sep 25 (UNI) Asom Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has justified the Centre's decision not to further extend the ceasefire with the banned United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA).

Interacting with mediapersons here, after coming from the Congress Chief Minister's conclave at Nainital here, he said the government could not wait indefinitely for the militant outfit's reply on starting direct peace talks.

''According to the information available with the state govenment, the ULFA was, in fact, utilising the time for recruitment of fresh cadares and thousands of youths have been inducted,'' he said, criticising the Centre for taking his government into confidence or making it a party in the peace talks.

''The Centre was rather giving more attenton towards the ULFA-nominated Peoples' Consultative Group (PCG) for the dialogue,'' Mr Gogoi said.

The Chief Minister noted that the number of innocent people killed since the stepping in of the PCG in the peace talks had gone up to 86.

Responding to a question whether he supported the army action against the ULFA, he said he was neither supporting them nor opposed it since he was not beng informed of anything.

In reply to another question, Mr Gogoi said as soon as he came to know that the ULFA leadership has written a letter to the Centre, expressing their willingness to initiate peace talks, the state government would, on its own, initiate the process for the release of those five ULFA ultras imprisoned in jails in the state.

UNI BKS Vd PM1914