Guwahati: The resolute silence of Assam’s tranquil landscapes was violently shattered on December 14 when a mysterious explosion reverberated through the Lichubari Army camp in Jorhat. As the dust settled from the blast, the echoes of a simmering conflict between the State and the United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) grew louder.
In a daring move, Assam’s Director-General of Police (DGP) G P Singh stepped into the spotlight, directly challenging ULFA-I, the insurgent outfit that claimed responsibility for the explosion. DGP Singh, a stalwart guardian of law and order, issued an audacious dare to the outlawed group, inviting them to target him either at his Ulubari office or his Kahilipara residence in Guwahati. This bold challenge came after ULFA-I alleged Singh, accusing him of treating the police force as his “ancestral property.”
Addressing reporters on December 15, Singh passionately urged the people of Assam to question ULFA-I about their motives and actions. He raised the pressing query of why the insurgent group chose to disrupt the lives of common citizens by indiscriminately blasting grenades. “If they want to do something personal against someone, they should do it accordingly,” asserted Singh, his words resonating with a determination to confront the menace head-on.
The ULFA-I had previously accused DGP Singh of negligence and asserted that he treated the police force as his fiefdom when claiming responsibility for grenade blasts near a military camp in Tinsukia on November 22 and at a CRPF camp in Joysagar on December 9. Unfased by these accusations, Singh took to X (formerly Twitter) to declare, “We are committed to wiping out the remnants of terrorism that impedes the growth of our state.”
In a resolute stand against terrorism, Singh announced that a team from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) would soon descend upon Guwahati to investigate the recent incidents, demonstrating the government’s unwavering commitment to addressing the insurgency and safeguarding the state’s growth, progress, and development.
As the tension between the state machinery and ULFA-I escalates, the focus shifts to the investigation into the Lichubari Army camp blast. Singh’s challenge adds a riveting dimension to the unfolding narrative, intensifying the scrutiny on the insurgency that has cast a shadow over Assam. The people of Assam, caught in the crossfire of this conflict, now anxiously await developments that will determine the course of their state’s future.
Amidst the escalating tensions and challenges posed by ULFA (I), Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has brought a ray of hope, stating that the central government is on track to conclude the ongoing peace talks with the pro-talk section of ULFA within the next two months. The pro-talk faction has been actively addressing core issues such as the economic and political rights of Indigenous people, along with rightful claims to land and resources. As the Union and State Governments finalise the framework of the peace talk’s outcome, optimism rises for a potential pathway to dialogue with ULFA (I) shortly.
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