Governor invites insurgents for talks

Bhilwara, Aug 2: Assam Governor Shiv Charan Mathur has said the doors of the Guwahati Raj Bhawan are always open for holding dialogue with the ULFA and other insurgent groups for restoration of peace in the troubled North-Eastern state.

Mr Mathur said, ''I believe that we can not fight out terrorism by bullet but this can be done by taking deviated youths in confidence and inspiring them to shun violence for rejoining the national main stream.'' Mr Mathur, who took charge of the gubernatorial post in Guwahati on July 4, said, ''I have extended an open invitation to all insurgent groups to shun violence and come forward for a dialogue.'' This had yielded encouraging result as soon after a ''regiment'' of the ULFA had surrendered to return to the path of peace, he said.

The Governor said a number of small insurgent groups having membership strength between 100 and 250, were active in the state and what did we require was to convince them that separate state formation for them was neither possible nor required in an independent country like ours.

''Besides this, we are also require to ensure speedy development in the bordering state and the state government was taking all care to ensure the same,'' Mr Mathur said.

He said strengthening of road network , tapping potentials of the river Brahmputra's hydel power generation are the areas of priority for fast development.

''In a bid to secure Centre's due assistance for development in the state I have also met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on July 22 and he had assured me all cooperation and help from the Centre'', Mr Mathur added.

UNI