By Syed Zarir Hussain, IANS
Guwahati : The Assam government Monday said it was ready to hold peace talks with the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) if the outfit gave up violence.
"Our doors for talks are open if the ULFA shuns the path of violence. We have all along been asking militant groups to come to the negotiating table," Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi told IANS.
The offer for talks comes two days after a powerful explosion in the heart of Guwahati city killed six people and wounded 11.
"The attacks are nothing but barbaric. We have further intensified the counter-insurgency operations," the chief minister said.
Police blamed the ULFA, a rebel group fighting for an independent Assam since 1979, for Saturday's blast.
The ULFA, however, denied its involvement in the explosion.
"The desire of the people of Assam is to have an end to this kind of mindless killings and attacks. It is for the ULFA now to respond and come for talks," Gogoi said.
The chief minister urged citizens to be vigilant against the 'evil designs' of militants to bomb crowded places.
"People in general should also be cautious and keep an eye so that nobody can simply park a bicycle or a motorcycle," he said. The bomb that went off Saturday was strapped to a parked bicycle.
The ULFA in the past three months was responsible for at least 24 bomb explosions in Assam killing about 20 people and wounding scores more.
The banned outfit was also blamed for a string of attacks in January that killed about 80 people, 61 of them Hindi-speaking migrant workers.
New Delhi launched a massive military offensive against the ULFA after the strikes killing 55 rebels and arresting 553 of them since January.
A fragile peace process between the central government and ULFA representatives collapsed in September last year with New Delhi accusing the rebel group of stepping up violence and extortion activities in Assam.