Assam on the edge, turns fortress

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New Delhi: The ULFA is preparing for a face-off with government forces, aware that they are in for a long haul as they play hardball with the Centre to have five of top leaders released. Sunday's blasts were a reminder both to the Centre and its anxious cadres that they are still in business.

"Though there are no confirmed reports as yet, we suspect the hand of the ULFA in the blasts,'' Union Home Secretary V K Duggal said on Monday.

It's a war of nerves in Assam and the Home Ministry has refused to blink. This time, there is complication of matters with the government saying that jihadis could be involved in the two blasts. Counter-insurgency operations and patrolling along the Indo-Bangladesh border has been intensified after a high-level meeting of the Army, paramilitary forces and state police.

After Sunday's twin blasts in Guwahati that claimed 13 lives, the Union Home Secretary rushed to Assam to take stock. The government plans to act tough until the ULFA agrees to come to the negotiating table.

"If by killing innocent people you hope to achieve an end, then it will have to be reciprocated in the same manner," Duggal said.

If the government is serious about bringing peace in the Bramhaputra Valley, then it will have to launch the second part of Operation Rhino. It was only in September this year that the Centre suspended a ceasefire after which ULFA announced that it would start collecting taxes from non-Assamese Indians.

Sunday's blasts occurred in the non-Assamese pockets of Guwahati and healing touches provided by the governor and the state administration is not going to settle matters immediately.