Eastern Army Commander, Lieutenant General Rana Pratap Kalita on December 28 urged United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) chief Paresh Baruah to return to Assam.
Return To Assam: Lt Gen RP Kalita Urges Paresh Baruah
Lt Gen Kalita said that the ULFA-I chief should return to Assam and witness and enjoy the peace and development that the state achieved over the years.
“I urge Paresh Baruah and those in ULFA-I to return to Assam and enjoy the peace and development that the state achieved,” he said.
Lt Gen RP Kalita, who is set to retire from active military service on December 31 this year, made this statement while speaking to the media at Fort William, the headquarters of the Indian Army’s Eastern Command, in Kolkata.
He said that the capabilities of ULFA-I have reduced over the years and now the banned militant outfit is only resorting to crimes like grenade lobbing and kidnappings.
Further, Lt Gen RP Kalita said that decline in incidents of violence and insurgency has ensured lifting of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from different parts of Assam. AFSPA now remains enforced in only four districts of the state.
