The United Liberation Front of Asom on Thursday warned Hindi-speaking people to stay away from Assam during its "conflict" with security forces, saying there might be an upsurge of violence against them during this period.
"We appeal to the Hindi-speaking people that a conflict is going on in Assam, so go away from here as soon as possible," the banned group said in the latest edition of its newsletter Freedom.
"In this regards, a rise in action may happen at any time," ULFA said adding, the security forces "instigate these people to ignore our appeal and they stay in Assam."
The warning came in the wake of a massive offensive launched by the army against the group after it gunned down 70 migrant workers, a majority of them Hindi-speaking people from Bihar.
ULFA appealed to Assamese people not to cooperate with security forces in their operations.
The warning to Hindi-speaking people came two days after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh assured the migrants, during a visit to Assam, that they would be given adequate protection.
He also asked militant groups including ULFA to abjure violence and come forward for talks.
The ULFA, along with the outlawed Kamtapur Liberation Organisation, Manipur Peoples Liberation Front and Tripura Peoples Democratic Front, also called for a boycott of Republic Day celebrations on January 26.
In a joint statement, they asked, "all freedom-loving people of the north-east to boycott the day and also prevent any such celebrations from being held in the region."
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