Stating that talks with the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) were leading nowhere because the banned outfit’s leadership was outside the country, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday said the pressure on ULFA will be maintained despite the government’s willingness to hold talks.

“Frankly, in my assessment of the situation, talks with ULFA are leading nowhere and the reason is obvious. The reason is that Paresh Barua, Arvind Rajkhowa and Raju Barua are outside India. There are serious differences among them. We hope that those differences multiply and we hope that some of them will see reason,” Chidambaram told the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

“Our position regarding militant groups in the North East is very simple and straightforward — give up violence, give up arms, give up any claim for sovereignty, we are willing to hold talks,” the Home Minister said, adding that he did not think that “the ULFA leadership today is in a position to accept these conditions”.

“This is what we gather through intelligence reports about Paresh Barua’s speeches, statements and movements. But I am confident that with the recent surrender of the two ULFA leaders and the growing differences among the remaining three or four leaders, it is only a matter of time that there will be further dissensions and ULFA will be weakened, and, eventually, they will see reason and come to talks. But, in the meantime, both the state and central governments are clear that we will continue to maintain intense pressure on ULFA,” Chidambaram said.

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