GUWAHATI, Oct 25 ? Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today sought to dismiss reports that the State Government is not quite happy with the response of the Centre in the aftermath of the militant outfit, the National Democratic Front of Bodoland?s (NDFB) unilateral ceasefire offer.
He said during a press conference at the Janata Bhawan here that he has nothing to complain about. ?I am not disappointed. I am completely happy,? Gogoi told newspersons while briefing them about his discussions with Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil in New Delhi last week. He said that the Centre has assured the State Government all help to bring the NDFB to the negotiating table.
The Chief Minister?s statement came in the wake of a report in this newspaper today wherein it was stated that the hands-off attitude of the Centre threatens to derail the peace process with the NDFB. The report had said that the Centre had given the ?go ahead? to the State Government to initiate talks with the militant outfit with an assurance of the Centre?s backing.
?The Home Ministry has given us the green signal to go ahead,? the Chief Minister said. ?I am neither disappointed nor elated.? He added that the State Government has been asked to prepare the ground rules for a formal ceasefire. He said that the agenda of discussions with the outfit is yet to be drawn up. ?We don?t know what their actual demand would be,? he said while making it clear that any talk on sovereignty is ruled out. Gogoi said that discussions with the NDFB would be tripartite.
He said that no mediator has been appointed by the Government. The Chief Minister said that the Government is prepared to talk to ?anybody? provided it is unconditional. He expressed the hope that the ULFA would also come forward for talks. He said that he is happy with the initiative taken by Mamoni Raisom Goswami to bring the ULFA to the negotiating table. ?She rang me up. I told her to go ahead,? he said.
Gogoi said that though the State Government welcomes talks with militant outfits, the fight against terror would continue with full vigour. ?We will not soften our stand against insurgency. We will also not slacken our vigil,? he asserted. The Chief Minister, while thanking the people of the State for extending full cooperation to the security forces to ensure a peaceful Durga Puja, disclosed that there were attempts to disrupt the celebrations. He, however, refused to elaborate on this.
The Chief Minister said that during his discussions with Patil, the issue of modernisation of the State Police was discussed. The Centre has assured financial assistance to the State Government to raise four Indian Reserve Police (IRP) battalions. The Centre has also provided an additional 40 companies of Central para-military forces taking the total number of existing companies in the State to 160. An Army brigade has also been redeployed, he said.
Gogoi added that apart from enhancing the strength of the security forces in the State, the four new IRP battalions would also open employment opportunities for the youth of the State. The Chief Minister said that it has been realised by all that a multifaceted approach is needed to solve the problem of insurgency.
?Our aim is to create ample employment opportunities so that the youth are not drawn to militancy,? he said. ?The younger generation should feel that their future is bright,? he added. It is exactly for this purpose that the State Government has set up a permanent committee to see and explore ways of increasing employment opportunities in the State, Gogoi said. He said that apart from making recommendations, the committee would also ensure that its suggestions are implemented. ?I feel we can create a few lakh jobs, he pointed out.