Arabinda Rajkhowa

Guwahati/Jorhat, Dec. 30: Ulfa chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, alias Rajib Rajkonwar, was today granted bail in six Tada cases registered against him, paving the way for his much-awaited release from jail.

This development is being viewed as a crucial step towards facilitating talks between the government and the outfit.

Official sources said home minister P. Chidambaram arrived here tonight. They said he would be “updated” about the developments related to Ulfa and the NDFB.

Chidambaram will stay overnight at Raj Bhavan and leave for Arunachal Pradesh early tomorrow morning. He will return to Delhi tomorrow evening.

Earlier, designated judge (Tada court) Soneka Bora passed the order granting Rajkhowa bail. He will be released on furnishing of a bail bond of Rs 1 lakh with two sureties of similar amounts. He is likely to walk out of jail within the next couple of days.

Rajkhowa’s counsel Bijon Kumar Mahajan said the bail was granted on condition that he would not leave the country till the disposal of the cases, deposit his passport (if any) to the court, not leave the state without informing the officer-in-charge of the police station of the area where he is a permanent resident, not commit any offence, not threaten the victims and their loved ones and the witnesses of the cases and not misuse the liberty given to him.

Apart from these six Tada cases, there are five other cases registered against him in which he had already secured bail.

Five other senior leaders of the outfit released on bail are Ulfa ideologue Bhimkanta Buragohain alias Mama, vice-chairman Pradip Gogoi, cultural secretary Pranati Deka, central publicity secretary Mithinga Daimary and self-styled deputy commander-in-chief Raju Barua.

Two other leaders — foreign secretary Sasha Choudhury and finance secretary Chitrabon Hazarika — have also moved petition for bail.

Welcoming the development, Rajkhowa’s elder brother Ajoy Rajkonwar said his release from jail would pave the way for talks, ending more than three decades of insurgency in the state.

Echoing him, Rajkhowa’s sister Lina Baruah said, “I have no words to express my joy. Finally, after so many years, he will come home. All of us, particularly our mother (Damayanti) are very happy that he will be among us this Magh Bihu.”

The leader of the Opposition and former chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, however, said peace talks with Ulfa without commander-in-chief Paresh Barua would not be totally successful and the Centre must initiate a move to bring Barua back from Bangladesh.

“The changed political scenario in Bangladesh has forced several top leaders of the outfit to express their readiness to sit for talks with the government. Under such circumstances, the presence of Barua in the peace talks would be crucial. Without Barua, the talks would not be fruitful and peace would remain elusive in Assam,” Mahanta told reporters.

He said if the Tarun Gogoi government went ahead without Barua, it would amount to nothing but a political gimmick before the 2011 Assembly elections in the state.

Mahanta said though the AGP did not support Ulfa’s armed struggle against the exploitation of Assam by the Centre, the party was fighting a democratic and peaceful battle against exploitation.

Lakwa erupts in joy

Rajkhowa’s hometown, Lakwa, in Sivasagar district, today erupted with joy soon after the news his securing bail was flashed on television.

Sounds of cracker-burst rent the air as people came out on the streets to celebrate an early New Year at Lakwa station chariali.

Rajkhowa will arrive at Lakwa on January 2.

“Our New Year celebrations will actually take place on January 2 when Rajkhowa comes home. A large number of people left from Guwahati today to accompany him,” Biswajeet Tipomia, president of the welcoming committee formed for the occasion, said.

He said as the people had been expecting Rajkhowa to arrive at Lakwa on December 26, preparations were more than complete.

Tipomia said Rajkhowa would halt for the night in Golaghat district, probably at Kaziranga National Park, on Saturday.

“We are preparing for a grand feast today,” a relative of the Rajkhowa family said over phone.

Unofficial sources said a group of about 15 Ulfa militants from Myanmar was camping along Sivasagar district’s border with Nagaland and is ready to enter Assam soon after Rajkhowa arrives in his home town. The group is led by self-styled lieutenant Horen Phookan.

Sources said a few members of the group have already entered Sivasagar district and are taking shelter in villages along the Assam-Nagaland border. “Most of these cadres are from Sivasagar and Rajkhowa was the motivating factor for them. They deserted their Myanmar camps soon after they received confirmed news that Rajkhowa would get bail soon,” a source said.