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Journalism of Courage
ULFA commander-in-chief Paresh Barua is engaged in a war of words with a founder-member of the outfit on the issue of the original agenda of the outfit. While the founder member has claimed that sovereignty had never figured in their original agenda,Barua has said he had already knelt down before the colonial Indian government.
It all began last week when Bhupen Bargohain,now a small-time businessman in an Upper Assam town,claimed that while sovereignty had never figured in the ULFAs first agenda,several present-day top ULFA leaders,including Barua and chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa,were not present in the meeting in which the outfit was born.
There were seven of us in that meeting in the historic Rang-ghar in Sivasagar on April 7,1989. They were Anup Chetia,Someswar Gogoi,Buddheswar Gogoi,Pradip Gogoi,Robin Handique,Suren Dihingiya and myself. (Present) ULFA chairman Rajkhowa,C-in-C Barua,adviser Bhimkanta Buragohain and other present-day leaders were not present in that meeting, Bargohain was quoted as having said in a local newspaper last week.
Bargohain has also claimed that the meeting that led to formation of the ULFA also looked at overall development of Assam,solving various crises facing the Assamese people and working for their security. Attaining sovereignty was never the major agenda in the initial period,though repressive measures unleashed by the government had later compelled the ULFA to take a different stand, he said.
It is not important who planted the sapling. It is more important to keep in mind who has nurtured the sapling. Despite acknowledging the contributions of the founders,I would say that such people have started making these statements under fear of the enemy. People like him (Bargohain) do not have proper understanding of an armed struggle,and cannot give up love for their life and family, Barua said in statement issued to the media.
