Talks decision violates outfit''s constitution: ULFA faction

Guwahati, Feb 7 (PTI) The division within the ULFAranks has come to the fore with the banned outfit''s factionled by ''Commander-in-Chief'' Paresh Barua rejecting thedecision taken by some leaders to hold talks with thegovernment, saying it violates the outfit''s ''constitution''.

In an e-mail sent by the faction to PTI, the outfit''s''Publicity In-Charge'' Arunodoy Dohotia said a meeting of topfree ULFA leaders led by Barua was held on February 5 and 6following the announcement by outfit''s ''Vice Chairman'' PradipGogoi, ''Foreign Secretary'' Sasha Choudhury and ''PublicitySecretary'' Mithinga Daimary to hold unconditional talks withthe government.

The meeting, also attended by central executive memberJibon Moran, adopted three resolutions with the most importantbeing to dub the central executive and general council meetingheld under the Chairmanship of Arabinda Rajkhowa as"violative" of the outfit''s ''constitution''.

"The Chairman and other central executive memberswere arrested and (are) under the control of governmentagencies and as such both the meetings and the decisions takenthere-in violate the outfit''s constitution", the statementsaid.

The second resolution adopted at the meeting urged thepeople of Assam to oppose the decision to hold talks as it"also went against the basic objectives, policies andprinciples of the ULFA".

The third resolution refers to Publicity SecretaryMithinga Daimary''s statement on Saturday that there was nopost of Publicity In-charge and that Dohotia was notauthorised to make a statement on behalf of the outfit andaffirms that Dohotia was appointed according to theconstitution of the outfit on September 23, 2010.

Home Secretary G K Pillai will chair the first roundof the much-awaited talks with the ULFA while Home Minister PChidambaram may have an introductory meeting with theleadership of the banned group during the February 10 meeting.

Centre''s interlocutor P C Haldar has said that theproposed meeting in Delhi will be a familiarisation exercisefor both sides to know each other''s view before the formaldialogue process.

Baruah is believed to be in Myanmar where ULFAreportedly operates armed training camps.