Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday, 29 October 2026, clarified that state minister Biswajit Daimary's recent remarks praising the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) were directed at the pro-talks faction that signed a peace accord with the Centre and the Assam government — and not the Paresh Baruah-led ULFA-Independent (ULFA-I).

What Sparked the Controversy

A day earlier, Daimary had reportedly praised ULFA for protecting Assam from outside forces over the past five decades. His remarks, made at a gathering in Tinsukia district, triggered a sharp political discussion over the state government's stance on the decades-old insurgency and ULFA's contested legacy.

The comments also drew attention to the role of the Moran and Matak communities in the organisation's leadership — communities that have historically been closely associated with ULFA's founding.

Sarma's Clarification

Speaking to reporters in Guwahati, Chief Minister Sarma said the distinction between the two factions was critical. He stated that Daimary had specifically referred to the faction led by Anup Chetia and other leaders who had joined the peace process, and that the minister's words should not be read as any endorsement of ULFA-I.

Sarma underscored that the pro-talks faction had renounced violence, surrendered arms and formally disbanded its armed wing — steps that legally separated it from a banned militant organisation. ULFA-I, by contrast, remains a banned outfit and has not entered any peace process.

The 2023 Peace Accord

On 29 December 2023, the Centre, the Assam government, and representatives of the pro-talks ULFA faction signed a tripartite Memorandum of Settlement in New Delhi. Under the agreement, the faction committed to renouncing violence, surrendering arms and ammunition, disbanding its armed organisation, and joining the democratic mainstream.

The accord marked a significant milestone in Assam's long and turbulent insurgency history, formally bringing a section of ULFA into the constitutional fold after decades of conflict that claimed numerous lives and disrupted normal life across the state.

ULFA-I Remains Outside the Process

Despite the 2023 settlement, ULFA-I — led by Paresh Baruah — has stayed outside any peace framework and continues to operate separately. Its status as a banned organisation remains unchanged, and it has not entered into negotiations with either the Centre or the Assam government.

Political Significance

The episode underlines the sensitivity surrounding ULFA's legacy in Assam. Even positive references to the organisation — however well-intentioned — risk being interpreted as legitimising a decades-long insurgency that caused significant loss of life and triggered major security operations. Sarma's swift intervention reflected the government's intent to clearly delineate support for the peace process from any ambiguity that might be construed as sympathy for armed outfits. The debate is expected to continue as Assam navigates the post-accord rehabilitation and reintegration of former cadres.