The govt must not use Chetia’s arrest for political purposes: Prafulla Kumar Mahanta

According to two-time chief minister and veteran Asom Gana Parishad leader Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, top Ulfa leader Anup Chetia’s deportation from Bangladesh is a positive development for India. In an interview to Manoj Anand, Mr Mahanta emphasises that the government should take Chetia into confidence and try to include the anti-talks faction of Ulfa in the peace process.

How do you see the development of United Liberation Front of Assam (Ulfa) general secretary Anup Chetia being deported to India?
It is a positive development for Assam. After years of speculation, Bangladesh has finally handed him over to India. If Chetia, a founding member of Ulfa, joins the peace process, it will certainly have a positive impact. The pro-talks faction of Ulfa leaders is demanding his release. This is an opportunity for the government to take him into confidence to resolve the conflict situation. However, the government should refrain from using this opportunity for political mileage.

What should be the government’s next step?
Let the peace process continue. However, for permanent and sustainable peace, it is necessary for the government to rope in the anti-talks faction of Ulfa, led by its commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah. Without taking that faction of Ulfa into confidence, a sustainable solution may not be possible. Here Chetia can play a key role.

How is that possible? Chetia was in jail for the past 18 years. Do you think he enjoys the confidence of elusive Ulfa chief Paresh Baruah?
Yes, it is true that Chetia was not involved in the day-to-day activities of the Ulfa while he was languishing in Dhaka jail, but being a founder member of the outfit, he still commands respect among the rank and file of Ulfa. He can play an important role in persuading hardliners, including Baruah. If taken in confidence, Chetia may act as a bridge between the pro-talks and the anti-talks factions of Ulfa.

The way the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre and the Congress leadership in Assam are taking credit for securing the deportation of Chetia from Bangladesh, do you think this is possible?
That is why I said that the government should refrain from using Chetia’s arrest for political purposes. We should be very clear in our understanding that without taking the entire group (pro-talks and the anti-talks faction of Ulfa) into confidence, a sustainable solution to insurgency problem in Assam is not possible.

Why are you so worried about the political use of Ulfa leaders? Have they been used for political purposes in the past?
Yes, there have been numerous instances when Ulfa has been used as a tool to marginalise political opponents in Assam. I remember during my tenure as chief minister (1996-2001), Ulfa had sent feelers about its willingness to engage in the peace process. This came to me through the then advocate-general, Pranab Pathak.

I took up the issue with then home minister Lal Krishna Advani. He agreed to initiate talks, but suddenly a condition was put that before holding talks with the government, Ulfa leaders will have to meet BJP leaders. The Ulfa leadership rejected the condition and the possibility of a breakthrough was spoiled and missed. The then advocate-general may elaborate more as to how that opportunity was ruined just for some political benefit.

But there is a Congress government in the state now.
Even now there has been an attempt to use the pro-talks faction of Ulfa for political purpose. The pro-talks Ulfa leaders have been pressured by the ruling party to either join the Congress or form a regional political party to contest 2016 Assembly elections. The idea of the beleaguered Congress Party is to divide the votes of regional forces for political benefit.

What could be the reason that Bangladesh, which entertained Chetia’s plea for political asylum and delayed his release for 18 years, suddenly handed him over to India?
While India has been demanding Chetia’s extradition for over two decades, Bangladesh had refused to do so stating the absence of an extradition treaty between the two countries. We don’t know if the Centre has secured his release with some pre-conditions or it’s in exchange of “land-swap deal”, but the handing over of Chetia has certainly given a talking point to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Assembly elections of 2016.

Let him take credit for bringing Chetia, but Mr Modi should also honour the hopes and aspirations of the people that he himself kindled by committing to resolve the foreigner problem in Assam.

In order to improve our bilateral relations with Bangladesh, Mr Modi ignored the aspirations of people in Assam and took a U-turn on the land-swap deal to which he was opposed during the Lok Sabha election campaign. People responded to his call with overwhelming support in elections. Mr Modi also assured to resolve the foreigner issue soon after he was voted to power. There is hardly any visible step that has been taken to resolve the issue of influx. In fact, deportation of Chetia could be an attempt to divert attention from all these U-turns of the Centre in Assam.

You mean to say the deportation of Chetia was linked to the forthcoming Assembly elections in Assam?
It is good that the government has secured the release of Chetia, but Mr Modi has been sidetracking from key issues afflicting the state. As Mr Modi claims to have excellent relations with India’s neighbours, he should use this opportunity to have a treaty with Bangladesh that may facilitate the deportation of illegal immigrants who have been “identified and declared” foreigners through the judicial process.

In the absence of a treaty with Bangladesh, hundreds of foreigners who illegally entered Assam are lodged in confinement centres of Assam. Bangladesh has been refusing to take back its citizens deported through the judicial process. Mr Modi should use his diplomatic ability to fulfill his commitment on resolving the foreigners’ issue with vigour. It will help in accelerating the peace process with Ulfa too.

Will Chetia’s deportation have any impact on the polls in 2016?
There has been serious attempt to rope in pro-talks faction of Ulfa by both the Congress and the BJP separately. If they succeed in their plan, they have the potential to divide the regional vote bank.

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