Author: TNN
Publication: The Times of India
Date: January 9, 2010
URL: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/50-of-ULFAs-lower-cadre-is-from-Bangladesh-Assam-Rifles-DG/articleshow/5425073.cms
Even as India gets ready to welcome Bangladesh
PM Sheikh Hasina, the Assam Rifles on Friday said around 50% of the `lower
cadre' of banned militant outfit Ulfa was from Bangladesh.
"Ulfa was raised in Assam on the slogan
of `Assam for Assamese'. But it's no longer what it was. My personal perception
is that 50% of the lower cadre of Ulfa is from across the border,'' said Assam
Rifles director-general Lt-General K S Yadava on Friday, speaking in the run-up
to the 175th anniversary of the oldest paramilitary force in India.
Holding that Ulfa had "degenerated''
into a mere extortionist organisation, the senior Army officer praised the
efforts being made by Bangladesh to put pressure on the insurgent outfit,
which also led to the recent arrest of its chairman Arabindo Rajkhowa.
"It's a great morale booster for our
forces and a dampener for those seeking safe havens (in Bangladesh),'' said
Lt-Gen Yadava, adding that the `hardcore cadre' of Ulfa was now down to just
about 200 or so.
Maintaining that the internal security situation
in the North-East was not as bad as it seemed, the Assam Rifles DG said more
people died due to BlueLine buses in Delhi than insurgency in the North-East.
"The situation in Nagaland is peaceful...Manipur is the only place (where
the situation is not too good),'' he said.
The officer stressed it would be wrong to
conclude that China was fuelling the insurgency in the North-East just because
a large number of weapons with Chinese markings had been seized in the region.
"It just means that unauthorised arms dealers who deal in weapons with
Chinese markings are more active,'' he said.
Outlining the expansion plans of his force,
Lt-Gen Yadava said government sanction to raise another 26 battalions -- Assam
Rifles currently has 46 battalions, with 65,000 personnel -- was in the final
stages now.
The new battalions will be deployed along
the Indo-Myanmar border to keep a strict vigil and check infiltration. "Along
with the battalions will come infrastructure like roads, helipads etc,'' he
said, adding that there were regular interactions between the Indian and Myanmarese
forces for better coordination and information-sharing.
