Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Saturday said that the anti-talk faction of the Ulfa militants have resorted to violence in the State ahead of the Independence Day celebrations due to ‘pressure from foreign forces’ as well as to ascertain their existence.
“There is tremendous pressure on commander-in-chief of anti-talk faction of Ulfa, Paresh Baruah to carry out subversive activities in the State. The outfit also wants to prove its existence,” said Gogoi while addressing the media on Saturday. “However, we have taken serious note of the situation and all the Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police of the State have been instructed to deal with the situation firmly,” he said.
It may be mentioned here that the anti-talk faction of the outfit had stepped up violence across the State and triggered three blasts in lakhimpur and Karbi Anglong in the past few days killing one person and injuring several others. The Chief Minister, however, claimed improved law and order situation in the State during his 12 years of tenure as Chief Minister and said that while the number of civilian causality due to insurgent related incidents in Assam was 400 in 2001, the figures have reduced to mere 10 to 12 this year.
Gogoi said that the Government is stressing more on development to solve the problems of the State. “I believe development and security concerns are two sides of the same coin. We are going to bring in development in a big way. It is only through the development that we can solve the security issues,” he said adding that the Government is also planning to create employment opportunities in the State in a big way.