GUWAHATI, April 18: ULFA vice-chairman Pradeep Gogoi, remanded to police custody for 14 days in Assam today, welcomed the offer of talks by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee with the ULFA for solving insurgency and said the proposal should be accepted.43-year-old Gogoi, who jumped bail twice since 1996, said an amicable solution through negotiations was the need of the hour. He, however, said all these were his personal opinions.
Arrested on April eight in Central Calcutta and shifted to Guwahati yesterday, Gogoi said, ``Earlier when I met the then Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao and Army Chief Gen Rodrigues I held to the same view that talks should be held and I still hold that view. They (the ULFA) should come to the negotiating table but I still believe that our cause for self determination is genuine.''
The kind of self determination proposed by the Centre, he said, could be discussed during talks.
About hardliner ULFA commander in chief Paresh Baruah who opposed talks, Gogoi said he had lastmet Baruah in 1992. ``I belong to the political wing of the ULFA and not the armed wing and am basically a soft hearted person,'' the ULFA leader told reporters before he was produced before the chief judicial magistrate, Kamrup K N More.
Gogoi said the armed forces had to be sent to the barracks which would facilitate in holding talks and help solve insurgency.
Gogoi, already chargesheeted in five cases and wanted in three other cases, said he had sought retirement from the banned outfit because of his failing health and other reasons.
Denying reports that he had surrendered and his arrest was a ``drama'', the ULFA founder member said he was surprised when police nabbed him at Calcutta's new market area.
The ULFA leader said that Assam's natural resources were being wasted which could have been used for its development.
Gogoi said he had already sought voluntary retirement from the outfit but the decision had to be taken by the central committee.
On being asked as to why he sought retirement,Gogoi said he was unwell and had several complaints but refused to comment when questioned whether the central committee had relieved him of his charges.
Questioned on the withdrawal of the Army, Gogoi said the armed forces was better back in the barracks if talks were to be held to help solve the insurgency problem.
On the much discussed sovereignty issue which the ULFA had so far placed as a condition for talks, not acceptable to the Centre, the ULFA leader said the kind of self determination proposed by the Centre would be decided during talks.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
