An analyst on security and international affairs has termed the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) cadres' abandoning of rebel camps to join the mainstream of society as a sign of ULFA's growing irrelevance in Assam.
In the last three months, over 150 ULFA activists have rejoined mainstream society, reflecting a reassertion of faith in democratic values.
Bhaskar Roy, a security analyst and international expert, asks: "Was there ever a rationale behind this movement (ULFA)?"
Roy turned down the ULFA claims that Assamese are different from India.
"If you look ethnically, their (Assamese) names, languages, even the scripts are so similar to other Indian scripts and languages," said Roy.
He claimed the ULFA is losing its relevance.
"The Assamese have realised now. The support -- revolutionary and financial --, which ULFA was getting in the initial stages from the people, is not coming to them anymore. And, that is why, they are coercively collecting money through extortion," said Roy.
"They (ULFA cadres) know that the people are not with them, and when the people are not with you, a movement can't succeed," said Roy.
"An increasing number of cadres are surrendering. These cadres belong to the 28th Battalion of the ULFA, the most dreaded one¸ which was headed by Prabal Neog. After Neog's surrender, we see a large number of cadres giving up," said Roy.
He said that the reason for the ULFA cadres' surrender is that they have begun to ponder over what they are loosing.
"They are loosing the sympathy of the people. On the directives of ULFA leader Paresh Barua, the cadres kept on killing innocent Hindi speaking labourers," said Roy.
Roy said that rehabilitation of the rebels is a must.
"They have to be rehabilitated properly. Huge amount of money is being assigned for each surrendered cadre, to be spent on each and his family. The process involves rehabilitating the surrendered cadre through vocational education or funding him to setup some business," said Roy.
On the question of whether to engage ULFA for talks, Roy said: "Let the ULFA deliver first."
"In my view at the moment there shouldn't be any talk. Let the ULFA first deliver. There has to be some conditions in parallel. There is a need to approach, contact the cadres, who are in India," said Roy. (ANI)