After Nalbari

The government should configure strategy to go that last,long mile against ULFA

From all available evidence,the United Liberation Front of Asom is on its weakest wicket since its foundation almost 30 years ago. The battle for a sovereign Assam has charted its three-decade-long path through much blood,abductions and disappearances,and is perceptively almost over. Yet,ULFA the most malevolent and lethal of Assams once multiple militant outfits still lingers and retains the ability to strike every now and then to remind us of its existence.

Sundays twin blasts at Nalbari,in which at least six people were killed and dozens injured and which the state government has blamed on ULFA despite the outfits denial of responsibility,may be just the latest case in point.

ULFA has been practically decimated. Most of its top leaders

are in jail,some are missing,and one has retired. Only Arabinda Rajkhowa,Paresh Barua and Raju Barua are around. Rajkhowa is believed to be still in Bangladesh while Paresh Barua is suspected to be in China. Part of the reason for ULFA running aground recently has been the Bangladesh governments crackdown on militant groups,with two senior leaders handed over to India just last week. Having shifted its main base to Burma,with Sheikh Hasina perhaps evoking memories of Bhutan in 2003,the outfit is now,as claimed by the Assam chief minister,trying to move to China. The Indian government,for long urging ULFA to lay down arms and join mainstream politics,has offered safe passage to Rajkhowa and Barua and its willingness to talk on condition that ULFA renounce violence. Although the outfit is unlikely to accept the precondition,the offer and the conditions must stay.

Assam,however,is also a pro-longed political failure. One reason why militants have sustained themselves marking Assam out as a persistent target for smouldering causes has been its vote-bank politics. With Bangladeshs help,ULFA is perhaps moribund. But as long as Barua and Rajkhowa are not brought to book,the outfit will continue to strike. The government should not only configure strategy to go that last,long mile against ULFA,but must also recast Assams politics.