He, however, said there was a sustained move on the part of the Government to project Paresh Barua as a hardliner and also as being in the grip of the ISI. “This is not correct. It was Paresh Barua who actually set the ball rolling by responding to the government moves,” Saikia, who claimed to be “actively involved” as a facilitator since 2001, said.

Though talks between the Government and the PCG have remained off since June 2006, “unofficial attempts” were still on to revive the process. “But utterances occasionally made by some army officers definitely create serious problems,” he said.

Saikia particularly pointed at Lt Gen BS Jaswal, GOC of the 4 Corps for allegedly threatening to send their bodies home if parents of ULFA cadres did not ask their sons to give up the violent path. “The newly-appointed GOC is trying to derail the peace process at a crucial juncture,” he said. “There are various elements both within and outside the administration who do not want the peace process to succeed,” Saikia had written in his letter to the PM.