‘Do Not Care For Such Diktats’: Assam Defies Republic Day Boycott Call By Militant Outfits

Republic Day 2023: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma appealed to ULFA (I) commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah to give up the path of violence and join the mainstream.

Republic Day celebrated in Assam with fervor and gaiety. ( Image Source :Pallav Bora )

Guwahati: People in Assam defied the 18-hour boycott call of the 74^th Republic Day Celebrations called by two militant organisations, the United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-K). People from all walks of life came out in large numbers and joined the celebrations across the state. Beeline queues were seen in Central Republic Day celebrations at the Khanapara Veterinary College ground in Guwahati.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma unfurled the Tricolour at the venue in Guwahati at 9 AM. The CM also paid homage to the Father of the Indian Constitution Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar and others involved in framing the Constitution of India.

During his Republic Day speech, the chief minister appealed to ULFA (I) commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah to give up the path of violence and join the mainstream.

‘We Are People Of Independent India’

“The ULFA-I has called for a boycott and it's only in the news but we the people of Assam do not care for such diktats. You can see people have come out in large numbers defying the boycott call of the militant groups. We are people of an independent India and we have the right to join the Republic Day celebrations,” said a resident of Guwahati Shahjahan Ali Ahmed.

“I would appeal to Paresh Baruah to leave the jungles and return to the mainstream and work for the development of our state and the nation,” Ahmed added.

“We have full faith in our security forces, so we have come out in big numbers to take part in the Republic Day celebrations. I want peace to prevail so would want Paresh Baruah to join the mainstream and sit for talks with the government of India,” said another resident of Guwahati, Zulfiquar Ahmed.

Militant groups in the northeast have for years boycotted national events to protest New Delhi's so-called ‘rule’ over the oil and timber-rich region.

Meanwhile, celebrations across the state were held peacefully with no report of any untoward incident.

(The author is a senior journalist covering the Northeast.)