Security beefed up in linguistic minority dominated areas, oil sector, tea gardens ahead of Independence Day

Assam Special Director General of Police Law and Order GP Singh said the state police is leaving no stone unturned to handle any law and order situation created by United Liberation Front of Assam-Independent (ULFA-I).

“Looking into the preparations for the Independence Day and security concerns following ULFA-I’s call for a bandh on Independence Day. Basically the oil sector, pipeline, tea garden areas, and linguistic minority dominated areas of the district have been targeted earlier by the banned outfit, hence we are looking into it that no stone is left unturned in the security preparedness for the upcoming Independence Day celebrations. We hope that no untoward situation arises in Assam as the state is progressing towards a new horizon,” said GP Singh while speaking to media.

It may be mentioned here that the banned outfit, ULFA-I along two other insurgent groups had given a boycott call to the Independence Day celebrations and a bandh starting from August 14 midnight till 6pm of August 15.

Notably, ULFA-I led by Paresh Baruah, had decided not to call for a bandh last year on the occasion of Independence Day.

In a statement mentioning the boycott call, the banned militant outfits said, “India has no sovereign right whatsoever to unfurl her freedom flag in the WESEA region, including Indian-occupied Kashmir, while our land and people are reeling under her brutal military occupation for the last 75 years. Under the present circumstances it is politically and historically illegal and unjust for India to continue celebrating its pretentious Independence Day in our land,” the statement read.

It further stated that “India’s political and military aggression and greed has transformed the once peaceful region into a killing zone.”

“In our long struggle for political freedom and to protect our way of life, our people have suffered tremendous atrocities in the hands of the Indian authorities. Hence, the illegal occupation is an act of aggression which is a violation of international laws,” the statement read.