Ulfa faction asks Assam government to change names of schools and colleges

GUWAHATI: Proscribed militant outfit and anti-talk faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom ( Ulfa) has issued a diktat to the BJP led Assam government, asking them to change the names of schools and colleges christened after ‘imported’ Indian leaders, and replace them with the names of Assamese leaders.

The outfit has set a six-month deadline or warned of action against those who defy the appeal.

Assam government is setting up 22 colleges in the name of BJP ideologue Deendayal Upadhyaya. This has sparked sharp reactions from different quarters.

Ulfa publicity secretary Arunodoi Asom in a statement questioned the government’s motive behind setting up a university after the name of Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore.

Arunodoi said, “The iconic leaders of Assam like Gomdhar Konwar, Pioli Phukan and many others, who had laid down their lives for Assam are yet to get their due recognition. The 855 martyrs who had sacrificed their lives for the Assam Movement are still ignored by the government. The government’s move to set up 22 model colleges after the name of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, who is in no way connected to Assam, is an insult to the iconic leaders of the state.”

Anti-talk ULFA has threatened to take armed action against those who defy this appeal.