I would have wiped out ULFA: Singh Our New Delhi Correspondent met Assam Governor Lt. Gen. (retd.) AjaySingh on Thursday. Excerpts from their tete-a-tete: The Sentinel (ST): In the Governor's conference you dealt with threemajor topics — National Security, Development and Flood. You werepraised by the President for your initiatives on flood control andyour action plan was accepted. Ajay Singh (AS): Flood is a problem that needs great attention. It hasbeen wreaking havoc in Assam since time immemorial. I have placedbefore the Government an action plan which cannot be disclosed rightnow, but if implemented, it will help in controlling flood to a greatextent. The President has praised my plan and has assured that it willbe implemented. ST: What developments have taken place in Assam during your tenure sofar as its Governor? AS: Lots of development has taken place during the last few years. Theviolence that has been taking place in Assam for the last 10-15 yearsis due to backwardness of the State. But the scenario is changing now.The peace process between the Centre and the ULFA has been initiated.Hopefully, the outfit will shun violence and return to the mainstream.This is very much needed for the development of the State. About 10years back you could not see people on the street after 9 p.m. Butnow, you can see the changes yourself. The conditions of the roadshave improved; but the railway links need more improvement. More airconnectivity is also needed as Guwahati is considered as the gatewayto the entire north-east. TS: There are reports that Majuli is on the verge of extinction. Whatis the Centre doing about it? AS: The Centre has granted more than Rs 80 crore which will bereleased in two instalments for conservation of Majuli. We are tryingto change the course of the mighty Brahmaputra so that this beautifulisland can be saved. We are taking things seriously about all theother flood-affected areas. TS: Do you support the peace process that has been initiated betweenthe Centre and the ULFA? AS: I totally support and welcome the peace process. The simple peopleof Assam are tired of violence and bloodshed. However, I do notsupport the precondition for talks by the outfit. Whenever you go forany negotiation, three things should be kept in mind : One, identifyits genuineness; two, all negotiations should be made on the terms ofthe Government, not militants; and three, make sure that the militantgroup is not using the time in between to regroup while expressing itsdesire for talks. Such a thing had happened in the past with theNSCN(IM). This applies not only to ULFA but to all the militant outfits in thecountry. I had broken the backbone of the ULFA when I was the head ofthe Eastern Command in Tezpur. I dealt with it with a heavy handduring Operation Bajrang and Operation Rhino in Assam. I had knockedoff ULFA in three months and had I been allowed to continue, I wouldhave wiped it out. TS: What about the infiltration problem? Former Governor HisExcellency Lt. Gen. SK Sinha had said that the problem is a graveissue. He even suggested many multiple programmes like border fencing,river patrolling and sealing of the river boundary with Bangladesh.What are your views regarding it? AS: The infiltration problem is indeed a grave issue. There is a longand porous boundary with Bangladesh. We are working on the borderfencing project. The problem is that no fencing can be done within 150metres on both sides of the border. Moreover, many villages are inthis vicinity of the border. So, we are working to solve the problemthrough bilateral talks with the Bangladesh government. TS: What is the present status of the National Register which had beenlaunched in 13 States by the then NDA Government? AS: Work is going on. The process is on for issuing multiple identitycards to all the citizens of India. TS: Do you think that will reduce the problem of infiltration? AS: It will definitely help in reducing the problem of infiltrationand to trace the genuine people. TS: Should multiple identity cards be issued before updating of theNational Register? AS: The Government is the best judge. _______________________________________________ Assam mailing list [email protected] http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam
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