The Assam government stepped up the publicity campaign after Ulfa’s boycott call. File picture

New Delhi, Jan. 29: Reflecting the government’s toughening stance, Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi today told Ulfa that sovereignty is not negotiable even as he appealed to the outfit not to disrupt the National Games.

Speaking at the formal announcement of the 33rd National Games in Guwahati next month, Gogoi hit both Ulfa and the People’s Consultative Group with the same stick.

The chief minister’s announcement can been seen as a toughening of stance against the outfit in the wake of massacres in Upper Assam this month.

“Sovereignty is non-negotiable, anything else you can discuss,” he said at a press briefing here. This is an apparent shift of policy of the government from its earlier agreement of the Centre for talks. In a letter to Ulfa leader Arabinda Rajkhowa last year, the Centre had agreed to discuss sovereignty, among other issues, sources said.

Asked if his government had been acting soft on the militant outfit, Gogoi said they had begun negotiations mainly because of litterateur Mamoni Raisom Goswami. Goswami, a Gyanpeeth awardee and Rebati Phukan, a childhood friend of Ulfa chief Paresh Barua, held three rounds of talks as facilitators with the Prime Minister’s Office.

The talks failed to get Ulfa to the negotiating table for direct talks with the government. Gogoi said the government had relied “too much” on the Ulfa-nominated People’s Consultative Group (PCG). “Our assessment was wrong,” he said.

The chief minister, who also heads the United Command of security forces for the state, said they are aware that the Ulfa regrouped during the time of the peace process and suspension of operations. He said Ulfa should realise that the National Games will only benefit the people of Assam by promoting tourism and economic development.

The people want the Games to be held, he said. Gogoi clarified that the appeal for withdrawal of the boycott call was a sign of strength and not weakness of the government. He said no other outfit in the region, except Ulfa, had called for the boycott.

The chief minister said neither the United People’s Democratic Solidarity nor the Dima Halam Daogah had resorted to violence during peace talks, while the Bodo Liberation Tigers had joined the government after signing a truce.

Ulfa, he said, would soon realise the futility of its exercise. Gogoi also said Congress president Sonia Gandhi will inaugurate the Games and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will attend the closing ceremony.