The government is hopeful of ULFA-Independent and many of the other insurgent groups in Manipur and Nagaland coming for talks to settle their issues, following the Bodo peace accord, an official from the Union Home Ministry said on Thursday.
Talking to reporters here on the sidelines of the arms-laying ceremony by all factions of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), Union Home Joint Secretary (northeast) Satyendra Garg said the government does not discuss till things materialise and signed, but it is always hopeful and positive about the various militant groups coming for discussions.
"We are hopeful about ULFA and many of the groups in Manipur and Nagaland coming for talks. When talks will happen we can't give a time frame. But we try to do things fast. Slowly things emerge. We are working on it and the entire peace process will be over in a few months' time. Who thought the Bodo Accord will come so soon," he said.
On media reports about pro-talk ULFA signing peace accord with the government by April, Garg said, "You can have a speculation but we are working on them. We want to do it fast. But when it will actually happen you will come to know."
Asked if it will be before Bohag Bihu in April as claimed by a state minister, the Union joint secretary said, "There is possibility of things coming before April. Let's be hopeful and positive. Lot of things have happened in the northeast in the last six months. And lot of things will be happening. As the processes materialise and are signed we keep informing you... we will tell you about the outcomes."
To queries if response has come from ULFA-Independent led by Paresh Baruah for holding parleys with the government, he said, "We don't discuss many of the things like what is in the pipeline till final things happen. Only when they fructify, we talk. We don't discuss things publicly."
A total of 1,615 caders from all factions of the NDFB laid down their arms before Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, depositing assorted 4,981 arms and ammunition.
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