Peaceful Independence Day celebrations in Assam after nearly 4 decades

Bomb blasts by militants, markets shut, deserted streets and people fearing to hoist the tricolour. This has been the scene on almost every Independence Day and Republic Day in Assam for nearly four decades.

However, the situation on India's 75th Independence Day on Sunday was different. Markets remained open, there was no violence, or boycott calls by insurgent groups and people were out on the streets like a normal day to celebrate the day.

Ulfa-independent, the biggest militant group, which issues a call to boycott the celebrations, for the first time did not issue such a diktat. In fact, the outfit, which has been carrying on with "an armed movement" since 1979 for "sovereign Assam", on Saturday extended its unilateral ceasefire by another three months citing the Covid-19 pandemic.

On August 11, in a statement emailed to DH, Rumel Asom, a member of Ulfa-I's publicity cell said the outfit decided not to register an "armed protest" or issue a boycott call due to several reasons including Covid-19, border conflicts, flood and erosion and unemployment.

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"This is perhaps after four decades, people of Assam celebrated Independence Day peacefully and without any fear. I want to thank Ulfa-I for not issuing any such boycott call," Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said in his speech after hoisting the tricolour at the College of Veterinary Science playground in Guwahati.

Formed in 1979, Ulfa has been claiming that Assam was never part of India and it was not even transferred to India by the British. Hundreds of civilians have died in bomb blasts and firing by Ulfa and many were abducted and killed by the outfit since then. Many members of the outfit have also been killed in counter-insurgency operations by security forces.

Soon after becoming the new CM, Sarma on May 10 appealed to Ulfa leader Paresh Baruah to come forward for talks. Baruah too reciprocated but stated that the issue of sovereignty should be on the agenda of the dialogue.

On Sunday, Sarma again appealed Ulfa-I and Baruah to come forward to resolve the issues through talks. "No more youths in Assam should die," he said.

Although the Independence Day celebrations were peaceful, Ulfa-I hoisted its flags at several places, particularly in eastern Assam districts (Tinsukia, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Golaghat), where it still has a strong presence.