Latest news with #ULFA
New Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Sarah Todd takes Assam recipes global
Assam is ecstatic as celebrated chef Sarah Todd has taken its recipes to the global stage. In a video, the Master Chef Australia finalist can be seen preparing and tasting a traditional Assamese delicacy, drawing the attention of CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, among others. 'Assam's recipes entice global tastebuds! Glad to see celebrated Chef @SarahToddChef is relishing the taste of this local delicacy and preparing it herself. From cuisines to culture, visiting Assam is an experience of a lifetime,' Sarma posted on X. Minister Pijush Hazarika also wrote, 'Delighted to see @SarahToddChef exploring and savouring the rich tastes of Assam.' Former commander of ULFA joins the BJP Former rebel leaders joining politics is not unusual in Assam. Manoj Rabha alias Drishti Rajkhowa is the latest addition to that list. This former 'deputy commander-in-chief' of banned insurgent group United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) recently joined the ruling BJP. He dismissed speculation that he joined the party to contest next year's Assembly elections. He said he would work on the lines of the party's plans and agenda. Later in his life with ULFA, Rajkhowa was active in Meghalaya. He surrendered in the state in November 2020 amid police operations. Party's state president Dilip Saikia and several other leaders were present at the ceremony.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
As top ULFA(I) leader joins BJP, what it means for peace talks in Assam
Manoj Rabha — alias Drishti Rajkhowa — who joined the BJP earlier this week was the second-in-command of the United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) before he surrendered in 2020. Rabha was inducted into the BJP along with a set of other leaders, including the Aam Aadmi Party's former Assam state-in-charge Manoj Dhanowar. Speaking about Rabha's entry into the BJP, Assam BJP chief Dilip Saikia said he has 'assimilated into our mainstream society for quite a while now'. 'He has left guns and bullets and entered the politics of ballots. What we have been saying for a very long time is 'Bye bye to bullet and welcome to ballot'… We, along with the central government, are always telling Paresh Baruah [ULFA(I)'s commander-in-chief] that bullets and talks cannot go together. The Constitution does not permit it. There can be talks… That is what we want, but Assam has to be peaceful,' he said. One of the BJP's biggest talking points in Assam is the numerous peace pacts its governments have signed with various insurgent groups in the state, but ULFA(I) under Baruah's leadership is the only one that has repeatedly refused to enter peace talks. A pro-talks faction of the ULFA had signed a tripartite peace pact with the Union and state government in December 2023, but the ULFA(I) has resisted coming to the table for talks without discussing sovereignty for Assam. Rabha, 55, is from Western Assam's Goalpara district. He was known to be a close confidant of Baruah and was the deputy commander-in-chief of ULFA (I). His surrender in November 2020 had been hailed by the central government as 'a major blow' to the outfit that was 'ushering a new dawn of peace in the region'. He had been an active member of the outfit for three decades, was a well-known Improvised Explosive Device (IED) expert, and headed the outfit's operations in Western Assam. His parents — Dhaneswar Rabha and Sushila Rabha — had been killed in 1999 in the infamous 'secret killings' of Assam. These were extra-judicial killings of close relatives of numerous ULFA leaders by unidentified killers between 1998 and 2001. Rabha's formal induction into the BJP comes amidst criticism over the government's handling of the ULFA(I). It took place days after the ULFA(I) claimed that its camps in Myanmar along the border in India had been bombed in a 'drone attack' by Indian forces in which three of its senior functionaries had been killed. While the Indian Army has denied information on such an operation and the Assam state government has distanced itself from it, the alleged operation has drawn criticism from both civil society groups and opposition parties in Assam as being detrimental to the cause of facilitating talks with the ULFA (I). 'Sudden and unprovoked attacks of this nature could disrupt the peace process, which neither the people of Assam nor AASU desires,' the All Assam Students' Union had said in a statement. Opposition parties such as the Congress and the Asom Jatiya Parishad have also questioned the implications of the incident on future peace talks. Assam Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi claimed that 'precision strikes' could not have taken place without the knowledge of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister Sarma. He asked: 'What is the reason that the approach of dialogue and peace has been abandoned in favour of killing youths from Assam in precision attacks?'
Deccan Herald
7 days ago
- Business
- Deccan Herald
China's weapons of statecraft
China has become the world's fourth-largest arms exporter, commanding 5.8 per cent of global weapons sales between 2019 and 2023. While China slashed its own arms imports by 64 per cent over the past decade, it simultaneously expanded its weapons footprint to 44 countries across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Apart from geographic expanse, the strategic footprint achieved as part of China's arms export strategy represents more than the mere logic of economics. Under Xi Jinping's military modernisation agenda, weapons sales are integral to statecraft to create dependencies, secure allies, and challenge Western influence in key strategic calculus behind the targeting of countries for arms sales and transfers coincides with the aspirations of making its military influence felt from the First Island Chain to the broader Indo-Pacific and beyond. China's strategic influence spans and dominates across the Indo-Pacific. As emphasised by President Xi, the move is aimed at constructing 'a common destiny of the Asia-Pacific'. .Between 2019-2023, 85 per cent of Chinese arms exports were concentrated in Asia. Pakistan, as an important all-weather ally, is a customer of China for 61-63 per cent of total exports. Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Thailand are secondary markets for small arms and ammunition. Bangladesh is currently the second-largest buyer of Chinese weapons in the region. China's strategic rationale lies in building a regional sphere of influence, especially when India is steadily emerging as a competitor in the African expansion is in the sub-Saharan region, with 9.8 per cent of the total arms imports. It is overtaking Russia as a top supplier with a special focus on countries noted for weak governance and resource wealth. The weapons sale also seems to be integrated with the Belt and Road Initiative projects and military training programmes. In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), strategic penetration is limited in the Gulf states and Saudi Arabia, as there is competition between Chinese and Western players. China has also expanded its presence in Latin American countries such as Venezuela, Argentina, and Chinese arms sales model is based on three core factors. It prioritises generating profits as per foreign policy considerations, adopts a centralised, whole-of-government approach resulting in control over whom (not) to engage, and shows intent to reflect responsibility through adherence to the existing non-proliferation and arms treaty compliance, Chinese arms transfers have been found in violation due to their supplies through illegal networks reaching rebel groups such as the United Wa State Army (UWSA) in Myanmar, ULFA in Assam, Maoist rebels in Nepal, and jihadist groups in Bangladesh. Such illegal transfers challenge China's commitment to existing international arms and dual-use treaties. Beijing accepted the accession to the UN Arms Trade Treaty (UNATT) in 2020, prohibiting signatory states from selling conventional arms to countries with the potential for genocide, crimes against humanity, or war emerged as the fourth most significant arms supplier to Africa in 1996-2000, reaching the second spot by 2013-2017, capturing 17% of Africa's entire market by 2017, just below Russia. China is still a non-signatory to the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) and exploits it through selling UAVs, including to regions under conflict. Beijing has also utilised its UNSC influence and declined to vote on key resolutions, including UNSCR 1706 in 2006, related to human rights violations and the extension of the arms embargo in Sudan. .The quality China's expansive presence, there exist certain structural limitations to its arms business. Over-reliance on Pakistan and other smaller countries may risk market concentration. Beyond that, there is limited competition within China's defence industry. Western sanctions and diplomatic pressure on several countries restrict Chinese arms sales. Chinese defence systems also lack the technological finesse in comparison with top-tier Western relatively cheaper and increasing share of Chinese-origin military equipment was also reported to have problems, including technical malfunctioning, export of defective equipment, and sub-optimal performance. During Operation Sindoor, Chinese-origin air defence systems with the Pakistan military became subject to poor performance against the Indian military. The lack of accountability to perform maintenance and repair is another concern. Chinese weapons sales also face scrutiny over end-user certificates as Beijing's flexible export policies often bypass stringent verification processes, raising concerns about the weapons' diversion in hostile conflict these drawbacks, Chinese arms exports are an attractive option for some countries. China provides a flexible option leading to a win-win for countries under sanctions, political instability, and marked for poor human rights records. For China, the challenge lies in matching the qualitative parameters, including operational, training, and maintenance of sold defence items, with its statecraft-supporting arms export strategy..(Sameer is director, Centre for Security, Strategy, and Technology at the Observer Research Foundation; Ankit is an assistant professor at the Rashtriya Raksha University; Rahul is a research assistant with ORF)
Time of India
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Assam: Former ULFA commander, several other political leaders join BJP
Guwahati: Ahead of next year's assembly elections, around 50 leaders from different political parties and organizations joined the ruling BJP in Assam . Among those who joined was former leader of the militant outfit United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) Drishti Rajkhowa . Rajkhowa (originally Manoj Rabha) was the deputy commander-in-chief of the anti-talk ULFA, also known as ULFA (Independent). He was second in command after the chief, Paresh Baruah. In 2020, he surrendered to the police in the South Garo Hills district of southwestern Meghalaya. Rajkhowa was known as an explosive expert and was an active member of the ULFA militant outfit for the last 30 years. The joining ceremony was held at the state BJP headquarters in Guwahati. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Top Public Speaking Course for Children Planet Spark Book Now Undo Manoj Dhanowar, former Assam president of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), also joined. He contested the Dibrugarh Lok Sabha seat as the AAP candidate in 2024. Dhanowar belongs to the tea community and is the son of the late Rameswar Dhanowar, an eight-time Congress MLA. Others who joined the BJP included Arjun Chetry, former president of the All-Assam Gorkha Students' Union, and Amal Patowary, former general secretary and spokesperson of Asom Gana Parishad (AGP). Live Events Madhurjya Goswami, former president of the Sonitpur District Congress Committee, Nirmal Payeng, former youth wing general secretary of Raijor Dal, Prashanta Saikia, an educationist and former president of Nagaon District Congress, and Manas Saraniya, an advocate at Gauhati High Court, also joined the BJP. BJP state President Dilip Saikia stated that the BJP remains open to welcoming more leaders. 'Several leaders wanted to join the party. They will seek a party ticket, which is natural. The decision on giving a ticket will be made at an appropriate time. Not everyone will get a ticket—but all must take a pledge to stand with the BJP in the long run.' He added that more Congress leaders are expected to join soon. 'Many more will come from Congress,' he said.
Time of India
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
No retaliation expected from ULFA-I, says Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma
Guwahati: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that there was no information on the claim made by the outfit United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent)that their camps along the Indo-Myanmar border were attacked. He said that he does not foresee any retaliatory action from the ULFA. Sarma while talking to media persons on Tuesday said, 'Assam government has information on any strike till now. The Government of India has not informed us regarding any strike. Whatever we have learnt we learnt from the statement of Paresh Baruah.' He said that Assam police are neither involved nor aware about this. 'When we contacted the government of India, they also said that they have no information.' The chief minister said, 'I do not think that there will be any retaliation from ULFA. He (Baruah) is from Assam. If a bomb is exploded it will destroy Assam's land or school or road. They are supposedly fighting for Assam's good so why will they attack here. Retaliation here will mean breaking our own house.' He added, 'Assam is not only my home but their home too. Why will they attack their own home. Drone bomb was not triggered by the Assamese people. Attacking here will mean attacking us.' Live Events Proscribed militant ULFA- Independent claimed that at least three senior soldiers were killed, and 19 others were injured after the Indian Army launched a massive operation along the Indo-Myanmar border. The Army however claimed that it had not carried out any such operation. Defence sources said, 'no inputs with Indian Army on such operation.' ULFA (Independent) also known as the anti-talk faction of ULFA in a statement stated, 'Indian Army had launched drone attacks between Longwa in Indo -Myanmar border near Nagaland to Pangsau Pass along the international border near Arunachal Pradesh. The attack took place between 2 am to 4 am on Sunday. The outfit claimed that there was another attack later in the day on Sunday. The mobile camps of the banned outfit and RPF/PLA camps are affected severely as the Indian forces have dropped about 150 bombs in the entire area using drones made in Israel and France'. The outfit is led by chief Paresh Barua. He has remained elusive over the years. Sources in intelligence agencies said'ULFA might carry out retaliatory strike or sabotage activities in the run up to Independence Day celebration in Assam. Traditionally ULFA has used these days to make their presence felt. The anti-talk faction of ULFA has claimed it has planted bombs in 24 locations of Assam as a mark of protest to the Independence Day celebrations last year.' Initially banned in 1990, ULFA's prohibition has been periodically renewed, with the latest extension declared on November 27, 2024. The MHA, in its notification, stated that ULFA had continued its efforts to separate Assam from India, perpetrating criminal activities such as bombings and the illegal possession of arms. Between November 2019 and July 2024, ULFA was linked to 16 criminal cases, including the use of explosives ahead of Independence Day 2024. The outfit is the only major outfit in Northeast India which is out of the peace talks with the government. Assam Pradesh Congress Committee President Gaurav Gogoi said, " This strike cannot happen without the knowledge of Himanta Biswa Sarma. The chief minister has on a number of occasions claimed that he is in touch with Paresh Baruah so it is not possible that Sarma does not know about the drone strike. The union home ministry will never take such a decision without consulting the Assam chief minister. This is a rerun of the dark days of secret killing in Assam."
