NEW DELHI, October 10 (VC): The Centre is believed to have categorically asked the outlawed National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB-R) Chairman Ranjan Daimary to ensure the immediate release of the National Hydel Power Corporation (NHPC) General Manager Mr Anil Kumar Agarwal before the proposed tripartite SoO agreement signing ceremony scheduled for 17th October next.
As per the earlier program, the Centre, the Assam government and the NDFB (R) leadership are scheduled to finalise the Suspension of Operation agreement in the national capital on 17th of October. But the abduction of the NHPC General Manager by the Songbijit faction of the NDFB faction has put a question mark to the ongoing process.
The NHPC GM was kidnapped on 21st September from 12 miles area near Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border while on his way to Guwahati from his work place Tawang Chu of Arunachal Pradesh. According to family sources, he suffers from acute diabetes and asthma.
The Centre is believed to have sent a terse message to Ranjan Daimary faction to use their resources to get NHPC GM Mr Agarwal’s immediate release or else the SoO agreement has to be postponed for now. Songbijit faction is reported to have demanded Rs. 2 crore as ransom from the NHPC for Mr Agarwal’s release.
A senior official from the Centre on condition of anonymity remarked, “what is the point of engaging the NDFB (R) faction if they can not control Songbijit and his followers. We can’t go on engaging different factions on the same issue. If Ranjan Daimary is the unquestioned leader of the NDFB, let him probe it by getting immediate release of the NHPC General Manager. Otherwise we are not in a mood to talk.”
Centre is also unhappy over the list of arms and cadres submitted by the Ranjan Daimary faction. They have given names and addresses of over 410 cadres and leaders with only 60 weapons for verification. Now different police stations within the Bodoland area are scanning the names and addresses as per the list to confirm the veracity of the list before the scheduled tripartite meeting.
According to sources here, the NDFB-R factione has over 350 arms of different types. They are not willing to deposit all now because they are not wholeheartedly supporting the peace process.
However, the government has asked the NDFB leadership to open bank account for all the cadres after verification of their names and addresses so that their monthly stipend can be sent directly to their account as the Government is opposed to giving cash in their hand for distribution.