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Guwahati: Expressing dismay over repeated intimidations by the separatist armed militant outfit named United Liberation Front of Assam (Independent) against two city based scribes, a forum of journalists urged the State police to take the matter seriously. Journalists’ Forum Assam (JFA), in a media statement today, also appealed to scribes to get united against such diktats.
Mentionable is that the banned Ulfa (Independent), which is fighting for an independent Assam out of India, lately issued three statements within 24 hours asking two scribes associated with digital news outlet (www.time8.in) to tender apology for their remarks during a brief discussion regarding the probable release of two abducted engineers by the outfit.
Both the engineers of Haryana based Quippo Oil and Gas Infrastructure Limited namely Pranab Kumar Gogoi (hails from Sivasagar in Assam) and Ram Kumar (hails from Khagaria in Bihar) were expected to be released on 4 March by the outfit after necessary negotiations with the company. Both of them were kidnapped from Dayun Khumsai drilling area of Arunachal Pradesh on 21 December.
Signed by Ulfa (I) leader K Rumel Asom, the first statement written in Assamese language expressed angers against both the scribes for their unpleasant comments on the rebels. The outfit asked them to seek apology for the same and until then it decided to suspend the release of Gogoi and Kumar.
Accordingly, both the scribes tendered apologies separately. The second statement, sent swiftly after their apologies, targeted one scribe indicating that his body language was not acceptable to it’s members. Then the second apology was furnished with an appeal to release both the abducted Quippo employees. The third statement came quickly with its displeasure on words of apology.
The JFA expressed dismay over the development and requested the outfit to clarify the present status of Gogoi and Kumar, who are understandably under its custody, so that the people can be convinced about their safety as it shockingly tried to blame the scribes for the future fate of abducted employees.
“We urge the State police to probe the matter seriously and unearth if there was any instigating inputs, which were very prompt, extended to the outfit on the issue,” said JFA president Rupam Barua and secretary Nava Thakuria, adding that it is widely understood that fixing a target for armed rebels by any one must be identified a serious offence.
