'Matter of joy': Amit Shah after signing peace accord with ULFA; Biswa Sarma hails 'end' of tribal militancy in Assam

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ULFA's pro-talks delegation, including 16 ULFA members and 13 from civil society, signed the agreement. This a significant pact as the banned ULFA-Independent has been the only major insurgent outfit in the state after the ULFA pro-talks faction signed the agreement with the Centre and Assam government. “It is a matter of joy for me that today is a bright day for the future of Assam.

For a long time, Assam, Northeast faced violence and after Prime Minister Narendra Modi became PM in 2014, efforts were made to reduce the gap between Delhi and Northeast", said Union Home Minister Amit Shah. “Today is a historic day for Assam. During PM Modi's tenure, under the guidance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, work for Assam's peace was always underway...three accords have been signed and with three accords tribal militancy has come to an end in Assam", CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

The separatist ULFA was formed in April 1979 in the aftermath of an agitation against undocumented immigrants from Bangladesh (erstwhile East Pakistan). It split into two groups in February 2011 with the Arabinda Rajkhowa-led faction giving up violence and agreeing to unconditional talks with the government. Paresh Baruah, who leads the other rebranded ULFA-Independent faction, is against the talks.

The pro-talks faction has sought constitutional and political reforms for the protection of the identity and resources of Assam's indigenous people including their right to land. The Union government in April sent it a draft agreement. An earlier round of talks between the two sides was held in Delhi in August.