TGP demands talks with ULFA on 'sovereignty'

Guwahati, May 29 (UNI) The Trinamool Gana Parishad (TGP) today urged immediate resumption of peace talks with the ULFA on all issues, including 'sovereignty', to restore peace in Asom.

In a memorandum to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the party maintained that the only way to restore peace in the state was through talks with the ULFA, even if it required discussion on the vexed issue of 'sovereignty'.

It claimed that the government's opposition and resistance by 'some vested circles' to discuss 'sovereignty' had no basis, adding that the government had failed to understand the meaning of 'sovereignty' in this part of the country, where porous borders let in lakhs of foreigners, a problem admitted by even the External Affairs minister.

''When lakhs of infiltrators have been gradually taking over the political and economic rights of the citizens, insisting on the 'sovereignty issue', has lost its meaning,'' it added.

Underlining that the Prime Minister was a representative of the state, the TGP alleged that though Dr Singh claimed of identifying himself with the people of the state, there was no reflection of it in action.

It said Dr Singh was not showing 'sufficient interest' in taking effective measures to contain the situation.

UNI