Paresh Barua rejects Sri Sri Ravishankar Apeal for peace talk

Guwahati

The  leader of anti talk faction of ULFA, Paresh Barua on Friday stated that his group’s  decision is very clear, ” we will not participate any peace talk unless the govt of India was willing to consider ” Independence of Assam”.

Barua issued this statement after a day of  an appeal made by  spiritual preacher  Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on Thursday asking the ULFA faction and other rebel groups to come out for peace talks.

Sri Sri,  who was in Guwahati on Thursday to take part in a day-long conference of leaders of various armed groups of the region which are currently in peace talks with the government, had also claimed he was in touch with Paresh Barua and leaders of the NSCN(K) in order to bring them to peace negotiations. Anup Chetia, general secretary of the pro-talk ULFA faction, was convenor of the conference organised by Ravi Shankar’s Art of Living.

Ravi Shankar had on Thursday also asked Paresh Barua to give up conflict  and “see things from a point of view of cooperation.” He also claimed to have rehabilitated several hundred youth of the Northeastern region who had joined different armed groups. “Many youths have lost precious years in jungles. 38 years is a long time,” Ravi Shankar later said in a tweet.

The rebel leader who is currently said to be close to the Chinese border in Myanmar, also described peace talks with the government of India as “false, biased and ridiculous” and asked the spiritual leader to stick to his “pretentious” religion instead of sending out such appeals.