Asom launches offensive against ULFA

Guwahati, Nov 7 (UNI) The Asom government today launched a major offensive against the ULFA after the ghastly twin blasts, reducing the hope of restarting peace process once again.

'' You will see the visible change of counter-insurgency operation with your own eyes, '' was the terse and stern reply of Union Home Secretary V K Duggal this afternoon during an interaction with media after a marathon review meeting with the state government officials.

'' I will not disclose the specifics of our strategy to alert my opponents (ULFA) beforehand, '' he said when asked what specific counter-insurgency strategy would be taken to neutralise the ULFA.

The top brass of the Union Home Ministry, heads of various Para Military forces as well as senior civil and police officials of the Asom Government reviewed the law and order situation.

Mr Duggal rushed to the state yesterday along with a ''composite team'' of the CRPF, BSF and other Central Government's security agencies to aid the state government.

'' We will do anything to protect the innocent people from the terrorist attacks, '' he said making abundantly clear that the Union Government and Asom Government would not lie low and increase the pressure on the ULFA henceforth. Mr Duggal met Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi.

Talking to mediapersons, the Home Secretary said if the ULFA showed its sincerity in peaceful negotiation, the Centre would always extend cooperation.

'' At the end of the day they are our people only. We treat them as misguided youths. At one point of time, they have to join the mainstream, '' he opined.

Terming the killings of innocent people as an act of cowardice, he said, '' It was an act of desperation. What they are going to achieve by killing innocent people. '' He termed the ULFA as more of terrorist group rather than a militant group.

He informed that review meeting had gone well and both Center and state Government were sensitised about the development and the strategy was evolved after fresh inputs.

Although he concealed the strategy but there was enough indication that the Army would have much bigger role in the counter-insurgency operation in the state now.

So far the Army had been kept away from urban areas of the state and they were basically concentrating on upper Asom more.

Mr Duggal, however, refused to accept that the six-week ceasefire had given the ULFA scope to regroup. '' This is not true. If they have regrouped, we too have regrouped. The ceasefire gave them a chance, which they did not want to capitalise, '' he said.

Meanwhile, Fancy Bazaar was limping back to normal as the business establishments and traders had opened their shops but volume of transition was much less as the ordinary people had been staying away from the market after the blast.

UNI MT SJC /SRC SB KP1917