The pro-talk United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) is likely to pull out of the ongoing peace talk with the Centre if the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, is passed in the Parliament.
“The ongoing peace talk process with the government is likely to be discontinued if the Centre goes ahead with the controversial Citizenship Bill,” pro-talk ULFA leader Mrinal Hazarika told reporters here on Saturday.
“We have raised the issue in our organisation’s platform. If the Bill is passed in the parliament, then talks will be redundant,” Hazarika said.
Echoing similar views, another pro-talk ULFA leader Jiten Dutta said that the negotiation process with the Central government will be derailed if the government pass the Bill.
In May last year, ULFA general secretary Anup Chetia said the outfit will pull out of the peace negotiation with the government in case the Citizenship Amendment Bill is enacted.
“The government’s attempt to forcefully get the Bill passed in Parliament has already induced many youth of the state to go back to the jungle (to take up arms),” Chetia had said.
Chetia further said that peace talks with Centre has entered crucial stage.