Guwahati: The United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA-I) recently announced that it will not call any “bandhs” on Republic Day in Assam.
According to ULFA-I, the ruling government’s plan to celebrate Republic Day for five days during the third wave of the fatal COVID-19 pandemic is a humiliating gesture that could exacerbate the prevailing Assam-India political tensions.
The current central Indians have been dominating the state’s locals in the same way that the British tried to rule Assam. They have now enacted the Assam Disturbed Areas Act, 1955 and the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 to take away the state’s people’s independence.
Assam had never recognized the Yandabo Treaty, which was signed on February 24, 1826 and had protested against it.
Moreover, despite the fact that Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru stated in the Constitution that “any state within India would become independent if it asked,” the Central Government has never granted Assam its right to independence, and the ULFA-I has been preventing the state from celebrating Republic Day by calling bandhs.
However, due to the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, ULFA-I has decided not to request a bandh on January 26 and to avoid any protests or violence during the celebrations.
Sharing the news on Twitter, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma wrote, “I welcome ULFA’s decision not to call a bandh and desist from any resistance during Republic Day. I take this opportunity to once again appeal to Shri Paresh Baruah to come forward for a meaningful discussion with Govt of India.”
I welcome ULFA’s decision not to call a bandh and desist from any resistance during Republic Day. I take this opportunity to once again appeal to Shri Paresh Baruah to come forward for a meaningful discussion with Govt of India
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) January 23, 2022