Gogoi hopes for talks with Assam rebel groups

Guwahati, May 3 (ANI): Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi hopes that with Bangladesh handing over National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) chief Ranjan Daimary alias D R Nabla, early talks with rebel groups operating in Assam could take place soon.

Speaking here on Sunday, Gogoi said: “We are still hoping that they give up violence and come forward for talks. The NDFB or the ULFA and everyone engaged in violence and thus various killings that took place in the state should come forward for talks. Lots of innocent people died in Dhemaji and other places in Assam. We want to say that problems cannot be solved through violence.”

Daimary who was handed over to India”s Border Security Force on Friday, is wanted in the 2008 Assam serial bomb blasts case and has been hiding in Bangladesh since then.
India had raised the matter with Bangladesh several times at various levels.

He is opposing the ongoing peace talks with the Union Government.

The Border Security Force (BSF), which took Daimary into its custody from the BDR, later handed him over to the Assam Police. The Assam Police has taken Daimary to Guwahati under tight security.

In October 1986, Daimary formed the Bodo Security Force, which was later renamed as the NDFB.

Though the NDFB, has entered into a ceasefire agreement with the Government in May 2005, but it has mostly flouted the ground rules of agreement.

After the 2008 blast, the NDFB split into two factions – one supporting the ceasefire, led by B Sungthagra alias Dhirn Boro – and the other hardline faction, led by Daimary.

Daimary”s faction claims it is the real NDFB and has sought to establish a separate Bodoland.

Daimary was suspended from the outfit by the other faction subsequently. (ANI)

Man U’s Giggs warns Arsenal’s Wenger ahead of crunch semi-final

London, May 4 (ANI): Manchester United’s record setting football great Ryan Giggs has warned Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger that his team is ready to turn the screw on against the Gunners in their Champions League crunch tomorrow.

United warmed up for their semi-final second-leg clash against Arsenal with an easy win at Middlesbrough on Saturday.

And wing ace Giggs, 35, said: “We’ve got our noses in front for Tuesday, but Arsenal are a quality side.

“They create chances but we hope that we’ll create chances, too. We will try and score and make it difficult for them. In the end it was quite straightforward at Boro and that was ideal for us with a massive game coming up. It has set us up nicely. We wanted the momentum we currently have to carry on into the Arsenal game and that’s what we’ve got,” The Sun quoted him, as saying.

“A professional performance, a clean sheet, two goals and now we go into Tuesday full of confidence,” he added. (ANI)

Fletcher asks Man U teammates not to slacken off at lowly Middlesbrough

London, May 2 (ANI): Darren Fletcher has asked his Manchester United teammates not to slacken off at lowly Middlesbrough today.

There is a big contrast between a Champions League semi-final and a trip to the Riverside.

Fletcher said today’s encounter must be taken as seriously as their midweek Euro win over with Arsenal, The Sun reported.

He said: “It is hard to top a Champions League semi-final, but you can’t raise your game for such an occasion and forget about fixtures like Middlesbrough away.

“If you do that, you’ll get hurt. It is why we have to raise our game every time we play,” he added.

Fletcher knows what can happen, having been in the United side that lost 4-1 at Boro in October 2005.

That prompted Roy Keane’s outspoken attack on his teammates and his eventual exit from Old Trafford.

“I was in the team that lost 4-1 up there. It was very disappointing,” Fletcher said. (ANI)

Assamese students promote Gandhian thoughts for peace

Guwahati, April 12 (ANI): School children in Assam, who have witnessed a grotesque face of mindless violence and an environment of fear caused by bomb blast incidents, yearn for peace.

Seeking a better environment, where everyone can enjoy life and make efforts for progress and development with fear, schools are taking initiative to bring about lasting peace through Gandhian thoughts.

With the objective of promoting peace and non-violence in the State, Parijit Academy School recently held a ‘Gandhi Peace Rally’ at Pamohi in Guwahati.

Hundreds of children walked through streets, carrying placards to spread the message of peace through Gandhian principle of ‘Ahimsa’, or non-violence.

Students expressed their concern over frequent incidents of violence that disrupted normal life and their desire for peace and normalcy.

“We are taking this rally to bring awareness about Mahatma Gandhi and his principles so that children will know about non-violence truth,” said Uttam Teron, a School principal in Guwahati.

“The aim of the rally is that we want to live in peace. There is so much tension in our region. The recent incidents like bomb blast where people are killed, we hope that all these violence will go away from our lives,” said Sonali Barua, a student in the march.

“I hope that people live in love with one another and not hatred. One should practice love and not hatred towards one another. The bomb blast that happen in Ganeshguri and violence should not happen again. People should not fight or hate each other,” said Krishna Boro, another student.

The rally also included Gandhian follower, Gravin Brown from Australia who walked with the school children.

The initiative clearly reflects the keen interest of the younger generation in bringing peace to the state and their burning desire to bring about social change. (ANI)

Two ULFA activists killed in Assam

New Delhi, Jan.10 (ANI): Security forces in Assam, reacting swiftly after yesterday’s IED blast in Guwahati, have neutralized two ULFA cadres, the Ministry of Home Affairs said.

In a joint operation carried out by the Army and the Assam Police early this morning, one suspected ULFA cadre, Dinesh Boro was killed. Boro is believed to be an explosives expert, who was involved in earlier blasts in the state.

Another ULFA activist, Kaushal Das was killed by the security forces in Baksa District of the said, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Home Affairs said.
Arms and ammunition such as plastic explosives, TNT and a 9 mm pistol were also recovered from the dead militants. (ANI)