Insurgency-assam-situation

Guwahati, Jan 11 (UNI) The army operation is in full swing and the ULFA militants are on run as there has been no untoward incidents in the state so far.

Official sources said two ULFA militants were arrested since yesterday. One was arrested with two AK 47 rifles from Hamern area of Karbi Anglong district and another from the Kotahbari area of the Guwahati.

The sources said most of ULFA militants, who had been active in upper Asom, were on the run and sneaked into neighboring Arunachal Pradesh on their way to Myanmar.

''This is the problem. We have placed our men in Arunachal Pradesh but it is impossible to find them in the jungles,'' admitted senior army sources.

The Changlang area of Tirap district is ridden with militants belonging to both ULFA and NSCN. They use the area as a safe corridor to reach out to unadministered Kachin area of Myanmar.

There was no fresh violence and Bihari laboureres started leaving camps to resume normal duty as normality had been restored in Tinsukia district where the curfew had been relaxed in the day time.

However, even as the ULFA militants fled for cover, politicians of all parties have drawn their own battle lines taking advantage of the situation.

NDA convener George Fernandez, after meeting the jailed ULFA leaders at Guwahati, met aged mother of the ULFA C-in-C Paresh Barua while Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, Samjwadi Party leader Amar Singh and Jaya Bachhan blamed the state government for the 'total failure'.

While Bihar's NDA government was quick to denounce Assam's Congress government for the killings, UPA's Lalu Prasad assured all help to the victims of violence.

BJP president Rajnath Singh has demanded President's Rule in Assam. On the other hand Samajwadi Party's Amar Singh brought in an independent relief package for the victims.

''I have come on the ground of sympathy and I have not made any announcement. I have brought relief materials with me,'' he said .

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, frustrated over the procession of leaders which has actually hampered relief work, announced that he would not react to any statement of any political leaders.

Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma said, ''All we want to say is that please don't pursue your Uttar Pradesh agenda in Assam'' he said in regard of Amar Singh's statement.

Meanwhile, the Asom Gana Parishad and All Asom Students Union (AASU) today sat on dharna separately at Guwahati protesting against the killings.

UNI