Anup Chetia has given support to peace talks: ULFA Chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa
Chetia was handed over to India by Bangladesh where he was in jail since 1997
Guwahati: ULFA general secretary Anup Chetia has given his support to the ongoing peace talks between the banned outfit and the Centre. ULFA pro-talk faction chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa gave this information to reporters today after the organisation's central committee members met the leader at the Guwahati Central Jail.
"Our central committee members met our general secretary Anup Chetia today in Guwahati Central Jail. Chetia has extended his support to the peace process and expressed his willingness to participate in the talks," Rajkhowa told the waiting reporters outside the jail.
The ULFA central committee members had also apprised Chetia of the progress of the parleys so far, including the one held in Delhi yesterday, where they demanded that Chetia be included in the peace talks, Rajkhowa said.
The delegation included 'finance secretary' Chitrabon Hazarika, 'foreign secretary' Sashadhar Choudhury and 'cultural secretary' Pranati Deka.
Golap Baruah alias Anup Chetia was on November 23 forwarded to 14 days' judicial custody by the Special Judicial Magistrate, CBI, Assam, at the end of his five-day CBI custody. He will be produced in the court on December 5.
Chetia was handed over to India by Bangladesh where he was in jail since his arrest by the country's police in 1997 on charges of cross-border intrusion, carrying fake passports and illegally keeping foreign currencies.
Meanwhile, chief minister Gogoi today said, "The state Government has all along been pursuing with the Centre for repatriation of Anup Chetia and now since he has been repatriated, he (Anup Chetia) should be associated with the peace talks."
In a statement here Gogoi said that Chetia was an "important figure" in the context of peace talks and the state government believes that he can play a decisive role in the ongoing peace process.