Ulfa chief's father turns 100, urges son, govt to hold talks

Ulfa chief's father turns 100, urges son, govt to hold talks
SAMUDRA GUPTA KASHYAP

GUWAHATI, JAN 12: ULFA chief Arabinda Rajkhowa's father Uma Rajkonwar, a veteran freedom fighter who turned 100 yesterday, has appealed to the ULFA as well as the state government to urgently negotiate and restore peace in Assam.

Rajkonwar, a leading freedom fighter of Assam, who was also the chief of the nine units of Shanti Vahini during the Quit India movement in 1942, said: ``The ULFA and the government should both start the process of negotiations as early as possible. The people of Assam are clamouring for peace and a dialogue alone can bring an end to this 20-year old violence in the state.''

During the past two days, newspapers in the state have carried interviews of the veteran freedom fighter and noted social worker who was given a massive public reception on his 100th birthday at Charaideo in Sibsagar district yesterday. In the interviews, Rajkonwar aired his views in favour of talks between the government and the rebel group headed by his son.

Rajkhowa, who happens to be Rajkonwar's sixth child, was born under the nameRajiv Rajkonwar and was a school teacher till he joined the ULFA in 1980 and get the name Arabinda Rajkhowa. He has not been home for the past 20 years.

It was during this period that unidentified gunmen at Dibrugarh shot dead Rajkonwar's eldest of the nine children, Dimba Rajkonwar, in August 1998.Recalling his traumatic days since the disappearance of his son, the centenarian in one of the several interviews, said: ``I had always told him not to take the path of violence, but he had already mad up his mind. Before disappearing, he just told me that he would either come back after Assam attained independence or when he was dead.''

The veteran freedom fighter who spent six months in prison during the freedom struggle and subsequently turned down an Assam government offer to take aid for construction of his house, however, subscribed to the common complaint that the state was being continuously neglected by Centre. But he did not agree to the ULFA demand of Assam being independent from India. ``I strongly believe that some of the points raised by the ULFA are genuine. But to achieve that, violence cannot be the answer. There lies the contradiction between me and my son,'' he said.

``The violent path chosen by the ULFA has been destroying one generation after the other in Assam, and I, as a follower of Gandhiji, strongly believe that non-violence is the best way,'' he added.

Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta wished Rajkonwar on the occasion of his 100th birthday. ``People like you who have worked actively under the guidance of Mahatma Gandhi will continue to inspire thousands of people across the country,'' Mahanta, in a message sent to Rajkonwar said and added: ``I know that violence has disturbed you a lot, and has lead to the loss of your near and dear ones. I sympathise with you for these. But we are all inspired by your strong belief in non-violence and draw inspiration from you.''