Assam wants P.C. Haldar as interlocutor for ULFA talks

GUWAHATI - The Assam government Wednesday urged the central government to appoint former Intelligence Bureau chief P.C. Haldar as peace interlocutor for opening talks with the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA).

“I met the home minister (P. Chidambaram) in New Delhi and requested him to appoint P.C. Haldar as the interlocutor for ULFA talks as he has the experience to deal with such matters,” Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi told IANS over telephone from New Delhi.

Gogoi said a majority of the ULFA leaders have expressed their desire for sitting in peace talks with the government.

“The indications are quite positive and we also got an assurance from Chidambaram that the central government would extend full support to us in so far as the talks with the ULFA are concerned,” the chief minister said.

“We are going to work out the modalities for beginning talks and all these things, we are taking in phase-wise.”

Gogoi Tuesday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and briefed him about the possibilities of opening talks with the ULFA.

“The prime minister is ready to meet civil society leaders who are brokering peace with the ULFA and I hope the meeting would take place soon,” the chief minister said.

Meanwhile, arrested chief of the outlawed National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), Ranjan Daimary, said his outfit was ready for peace talks with the government.

“I shall let you know the details later, but we are contemplating to sit for talks,” the NDFB chief told journalists Wednesday while being produced at a local court in the northern Assam town of Udalguri.

Daimary was handed over to India by Bangladesh and then arrested in May. He was sent to 14 days in judicial custody by the local court Wednesday.

He is the main accused in the Oct 30, 2008, serial explosions in Assam that killed about 100 people.