Governor Lt. Gen (Retd) S K Sinha, who had earlier been Assam Governor, in an interview today said that any talks with ULFA should be held only after the violence unleashed by them is crushed and security forces gain the upper hand.

Sinha was unsparing in his criticism of the outlawed militant outfit in Assam.

Sinha who held the gubernatorial assignment in Assam for six years, said that instead of preventing illegal immigration from Bangladesh, the ULFA was now promoting it.

“The ULFA has done a U-turn. It started its movement against illegal migrants from Bangladesh entering Assam and now that they get shelter there (Bangladesh). They are eliminating Hindi speaking people in Assam to accommodate illegal migrants from our neighbouring country,” he said. In 1991-92 ULFA betrayed the Indian government when Arvind Rajkhova was allowed to go to Bangladesh to bring Paresh Barua. He never returned, said Sinha. Sinha said the ULFA should be dealt with an iron hand.