Chidambaram Orders 'All-Out' Operation Against NDFB

Guwahati, Nov 13 : Union Home Minister P.Chidambaram on Friday directed the security forces in Assam to launch an 'all-out' operation against National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) (anti-talk faction) and to spare none indulging in violence.

Chidamabaram, who held a meeting with Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, top army and paramilitary commanders, senior police and civil officials during his brief visit in Guwahati, told reporters that he had directed the security forces to take a 'tough stand' against the outfit and tackle the situation with a 'strong hand'.

Referring to the recent massacre of 24 people by the outfit in the state since Monday, he said the security forces had been instructed to take immediate measures to arrest those
involved and to deal with them sternly.

"All violent activities of NDFB anti-talk faction will be tackled with an iron hand. The Centre has no objection to holding talks with all outfits provided they abjure violence as dialogue is the only way to solve problems," Chidambaram said.

Expressing displeasure over the stand taken by the NDFB (anti-talk group) in resolving the Bodo issue, the Home Minister said its arrested chairman Ranjan Daimary was not interested in keeping the situation under control.

The banned outfit had threatened that if any of its cadres was killed, at least 20 people security forces or civilians would be killed and they carried out their threat killing 24 people since November 8. It had reissued the threat on Thursday.

"The outfit has not yet submitted its charter of demands but has given indication that they want more autonomy for the Bodos," Chidambaram said adding the outfit is not happy with
the functioning of the Bodoland Territorial Council and is also not eager for talks with the government.

He also held a meeting with the Unified Command Structure Headquarters at the Border Security Force (BSF) base camp in Patgaon on the outskirts of the city before leaving for Kolkata.

Meanwhile, a report said one NDFB anti-talk faction militant was nabbed during a joint operation by army and police in the district on Friday.

The militant was nabbed near the Lungsung forest reserve and a nine mm pistol along with two rounds of live ammunition was seized from him, it said quoting the police.

The arrested ultra is part of a group that had planned subversive activities in the district and was involved in a firing incident on November 9 in which one person was killed.