Centre changes policy on surrender of Assam ultras
Source: The Sangai Express / Courtesy: Assam Tribune
Guwahati, January 12 2015:
Continuing with its tough stand against militants, the Government of India has decided to change the policy regarding surrender of militants, while, the police and security forces have been directed to strictly implement the ground rules of the ceasefire agreements with the outfits which are holding parleys with the Government.
Highly placed sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) told The Assam Tribune that from now on, the State militants who surrender would not be given "preferential treatment".
Sources said that the militants who surrender would now have to face trial in the cases against them.
The only benefit that those who surrender would get would be that they would not be killed in the intensified operations by the police and security forces.
This new stand of the Government will prevent the militants involved in killings of innocents to come overground and get preferential treatment.
This will also prevent the police and security forces engaged in the counter-insurgency operations to try and gain credit for the surrender of militants, as in the past, persons who had no record of any involvement in militant activities were forced to "surrender" .
The Government of India has also decided to take a tough stand on the militant groups that have signed ceasefire agreements with the Government for solving their problems through talks.
The Government has decided to expedite the peace talks with such outfits, but at the same time, a decision has been taken not to withdraw the cases against the members of such outfits.
The members of the outfits including their leaders, would have to face trial in the cases registered against them, sources added.
In the face of allegations that a few members of outfits under ceasefire agreements were directly or indirectly helping the active militant groups, the MHA has directed the police and security forces to strictly enforce the ground rules of ceasefire agreements.
The forces have been directed to treat any member of such outfits, found outside the designated camps with weapons, as terrorists and deal with them accordingly, sources added.
It may be mentioned here that the Government of India has already decided not to hold talks with the Songbijit faction of the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) and other such outfits involved in killings of innocents.