The outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom on Wednesday called for a boycott of the Republic Day celebrations.
In a joint statement issued here, the ULFA along with three militant outfits of the region -- Kamatapur Liberation Organisation, Manipur People's Liberation Front and Tripura People's Democratic Front-- called for a boycott and general strike from 1 am to 6 pm on the day to protest against India's military repression.
'We believe in a political process to resolve the conflict satisfactorily. But we are firm about our stand to counter Indian Army's repression of our struggle even more vigorously. We will fight to the last for our sovereign independence,' the statement said while accusing the Indian occupation forces of killing, torturing and maiming thousands during the 59-year-long imposition of the Constitution on the people of Assam and the region.
The police and the army are on high alert in Upper Assam districts in the wake of intelligence inputs that some hardcore cadres of the ULFA had sneaked into the area through Tirap district of Arunachal Pradesh from their Myanmar bases to strike terror in the run-up Republic Day.
A police source informed that the most of the ULFA cadres who are suspected to have penetrated into the Upper Assam areas are apt in handling explosives. The security forces apprehend that the outfit will target oil, gas and railway infrastructure in a desperate bid to make their presence felt.
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