Assam: ULFA(I) Warns Bengalis Over Demand for Barak Valley Separation

GUWAHATI: The banned militant organization ULFA (Independent) has raised its voice against the proposition of carving out Barak Valley from Assam, demanding that the Bengali-speaking population in the state state their position on the matter within 60 days.

In a bold warning, the group has cautioned that if the Bengalis fail to articulate their stance on the issue within the stipulated 60-day period, they will be held responsible for any potential "untoward incidents" that may occur in the future.

Rumel Asom, a member of ULFA-I's publicity wing, criticized the Chief Convenor of the Barak Democratic Front (BDF), an organization focused on the Barak Valley, for rallying support in favor of establishing a new state in the Barak Valley.

In an email statement issued by the outlawed organization, it was stated, "Various communities in Assam have coexisted in harmony and unity. However, Pradip Dutta Roy's efforts to push for the separation of Barak Valley are seen as divisive. He lacks the authority, and his ancestors have not contributed to safeguarding the Barak Valley from Partition. We will, under no circumstances, permit the division of Assam."

The Barak Valley in southern Assam encompasses the districts of Cachar, Karimganj, and Hailakandi, where Bengali-speaking Hindus and Muslims form the majority. Out of the 126 Assembly seats in Assam, 13 are situated in the Barak Valley region.

Many residents in these three districts contend that the region has been overlooked due to most elected officials hailing from the Assamese-dominated Brahmaputra Valley, leading to the demand for a separate state.

Despite constituting approximately 30 percent of Assam's population (3.2 crore), Bengalis have been under-represented in the Brahmaputra Valley. In strong opposition to the demand for separating the Bengali-dominated Barak Valley from Assam as a separate state, ULFA (Independent) remains steadfast in its stance.

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