‘Don’t create an environment detrimental to investments’, Assam CM tells ULFA-I after bomb threat

Guwahati, Aug 15 (IANS) After United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) on Thursday claimed to have planted bombs in 24 locations across Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma appealed to Paresh Baruah, commander-in-chief of the banned militant outfit, to refrain from creating an environment that is detrimental to investments in the state.The outlawed group said in a statement that they wanted to demonstrate their strength by carrying out bomb blasts across the state from 6 a.m. to 12 noon on Independence Day, but due to ‘technical reasons’ they have called off the operation.A list of the ‘targeted’ areas along with pictures, including one close to the Secretariat in state capital Dispur, was also released by ULFA-I.“ULFA-I claimed that they had planted bombs at several locations and these were supposed to explode between 6 a.m. and 12 noon today. However, due to some technical errors, the bombs did not to explode,” the Chief Minister said, asserting that the bomb threat is being investigated by the police and a statement will be issued by the concerned authority.“I am not going to comment on the police investigation. Whether bombs were found at the specific locations is something that the police are investigating. I want to appeal to Paresh Baruah that after several years, Assam has been witnessing big investments coming to the state. The Tata Group is building a large semiconductor plant while other key industry players are also looking to invest here,” he said.Baruah should refrain from creating an environment which might affect investors coming to Assam, the Chief Minister said.“The state is witnessing progress and development after many decades. If ULFA-I tries to destabilise peace in the state, it will adversely impact the youths of Assam,” he said, adding that before inciting violence, Baruah must always think about the 14 lakh unemployed youths of the state.ULFA-I earlier said in its statement: “This to inform the indigenous people of Assam that on behalf of the United Liberation Front of Assam [Independent], the military protest which was scheduled to be carried out from 6 a.m. to 12 noon on August 15 could not be carried out due to technical glitches. Therefore, the locations of the protests have been made public in view of public safety.”A senior officer, meanwhile, said that police teams have been dispatched to look for the bombs using the list that the outlawed militant group released. The police have found some suspicious devices in some locations and further investigation is underway, sources said.–IANStdr/arm