Guwahati ( Assam) , Aug 11 : The banned United Liberation Front of Asom ( Independent ) (ULFA -I) has for the first time since its inception has decided not to call for an Assam bandh during the forthcoming Independence Day celebrations this year and has urged the government to amend the Indian constitution to facilitate a dialogue with the banned militant outfit .
In a statement , the outfit citing the Treaty of Yandaboo, the notes of Chinese pilgrim-scholar Hiuen Sang and the Mughal era, stated that the state was annexed with India forcibly.
The statement added that since history has mentioned that Assam was a sovereign state, then why can’t the India government hold a discussion on the issue? The leaders of the country has always denied of talks with Ulfa (I) citing the constitution. But if the same constitution was amended for over 100 times for the benefit of people then why it can’t be changed again to felicitate the discussion? questioned the outfit’s spokesperson Rumel Asom.
The statement added , “If the Indian government wants to discuss with Ulfa (I), it must amend its constitution and approve the right to secede of the communities or hold a plebiscite of the indigenous people of the state to uplift the spirit of democracy.”
The outfit said that it has not called for a strike on this Independence Day and would also abstain from any armed protests.
However, it has appealed the people of the state to host black flags and wear black badges as a mark of protest.
The outfit is presently on unilateral ceasefire which ends on Aug 15 .
