BRAHMIN BRINDABON GOSWAMI FORGED APCC LETTER
ULFA demands prompt apology as Brindabon denies charge
GUWAHATI, Aug 20: The ULFA today charged AGP president Brindabon Goswami of masterminding the missive, supposedly written by Assam Pradesh Congress Committee secretary MH Choudhury, to the outfit stating that three Congress ministers — Gautam Roy, Anjan Dutta and Himanta Biswa Sarma — have agreed to pay Rs 5 lakh each to the outfit per month besides the payment of Rs 30 lakh made earlier to it.
The ULFA also demanded a public apology from Goswami saying that if it was not forthcoming Goswami’s political career would go the Prafulla Kumar Mahanta(another BRAHMIN) way.
In an e-mail missive to media houses, ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa said that a ULFA probe has proved that it was Goswami who had forged the letter written on the APCC letter head. The ULFA said that the letter was meant to discredit the ULFA chairman and his unequivocal patriotism.
The ULFA chairman also accused Brahmin Goswami of carrying out casteist politics in the State and casting aspersion on the revolutionary ethics of the ULFA leader.
The ULFA, in a reiteration, said that the way former chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta’s political career has been sent for a toss for masterminding the secret killings in the State, Goswami, too, would face the ULFA music if a public apology does not come through.
It is worth mentioning here that the letter had created a furore in the Assam Assembly with the AGP and BJP even staging a walk-out. The Congress, on its part, had said in the floor of the Assembly that the letter was fake and should not be entertained, failing which a bad precedent would be established in the State. For the record, the Congress had also issued a show-cause notice to MH Choudhury to which the latter had replied. Even Transport Minister Anjan Dutta had asked the city SSP for a thorough probe into the affair.
Reacting on the development, Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the ULFA letter had vindicated the Congress’ stand.
On the other hand, State observers have termed the ULFA allegation as the biggest political challenge for AGP leader Brindabon Goswami. The party has, of late, been weakened by splits at all levels. With elections round the corner, Goswami needs to prove his political mettle, they said.
Meanwhile, Brindabon Goswami, who is in New Delhi, said when contacted that neither he nor his party was involved in the episode.
He said that the party had raised the issue in the Assembly session based on media reports and wanted the Congress to clarify on the authenticity of the letter.
On being asked as to why the ULFA has singled him out, he said that upon his arrival in Guwahati on August 24 he would be in a position to comment in details.