Kalam: Petitioned

New Delhi, Feb. 16: The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) has moved President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam for his intervention in restoring ?permanent peace? in Assam following the recent disturbances that claimed the lives of nine civilians in police firing.

A five-member delegation of the party briefed Kalam about the need to take the proposed peace process with the banned Ulfa to a logical conclusion.

The delegation argued that this would be possible only if there was a halt to army operations because they often led to human rights violations, like the incident at Kakopathar.

A memorandum submitted to Kalam urged him to punish the guilty officers responsible for the outrage and provide adequate relief and rehabilitation to the affected people in Kakopathar.

The delegation comprised the three general secretaries, Birendra Prasad Baishya, Hitendra Nath Goswami and Dilip Kumar Saikia, besides MPs Arun Kumar Sarma and Sarbananda Sonowal.

The AGP is concerned that a ?conspiracy? has been hatched by people with ?vested interests? to derail the peace process.

Sonowal said Ajit Mahanta was taken into custody by the army on February 4, just three days ahead of the second round of talks between the Centre and the Peoples? Consultative Group (PCG). The body bearing signs of torture was deposited at the Assam Medical College after two days.

?This means that some interests were fulfilled by picking up the innocent boy because a reaction was expected. We suspect that the security forces and the Tarun Gogoi government are playing a dubious role,? said Sonowal. The other members supported him.