Assam: Address bengali community concerns and we will withdraw Barak separation proposal, BDF chief tells ULFA-I

Barak Democratic Front (BDF) Chief Pradeep Dutta Roy on October 15 extended an invitation to the United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) to engage in dialogue and resolve the longstanding issues facing the Bengali-speaking community in the region.

The move comes after ULFA-I issued a statement opposing the separation of Barak Valley, calling it an attempt to disrupt the unity of the diverse ethnic groups in Assam. Pradeep Dutta Roy, who has been a vocal proponent of a separate Barak state, responded expressing his willingness to withdraw the demand if ULFA-I actively addresses the concerns of the Bengali community.

Pradeep Dutta Roy stated, "Today, I found a letter from ULFA where they oppose the separation of Barak. The ULFA organization was born in Jorhat and sought shelter in Bangladesh. They utilize the resources of Bangladesh, such as water, land, and food, and receive support from the Bangladeshi government to run a revolution in Assam and now are opposing Bengali-speaking people in Assam. This is very surprising and unfortunate."

He continued, "They seek a separate state for Assam, but the central government will never accept it in the next 100 years. The Assam government and the Assam Chief Minister have repeatedly stated that they are open to peace talks, but ULFA refuses to engage in peace talks."

Pradeep Dutta Roy stated that the Bengali community's concerns in Barak Valley must be addressed, including issues related to detention camps, employment opportunities, delimitation, NRC (National Register of Citizens), and CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act). He pointed out that ULFA-I had never raised its voice on these matters.

The ULFA-I in their letter asserted the historical significance of the Brahmaputra and Barak Valleys as places where various ethnic groups have coexisted harmoniously for centuries. The outfit  stressed that the unity and harmony of different ethnic groups must not be disrupted.

The statement from ULFA-I stated, "Barak is not an ancestral property of Pradip Dutta Roy to disintegrate Assam. The ancestors of Bengalis like Pradeep Dutta Roy have little to contribute to the Barak Valley; today, they dream of a separate state for the sake of the so-called democracy of the enemy country India."

The organization strongly opposed the proposal for a separate Barak state or Union Territory, asserting that neither India nor any political leader should have the right to bifurcate Assam.

In response to these developments, the ULFA-I has set a time limit of sixty days for the Bengali-speaking people across Assam to express their support or opposition to Pradeep Dutta Roy's proposal. Failure to do so may result in unforeseen consequences.