Guwahati, Aug 9 (IANS): The chief of banned militant outfit United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I), Paresh Baruah, received an extraordinary offer from Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday.

The offer is an invitation to stay in the state for a week or 10 days with the promise of safety while Baruah is here.

Sarma said, “Paresh Baruah is a smart, educated individual. I'm hoping he'll agree to have civil discussions when I extend the invitation.”

Justifying the unusual invitation, the Chief Minister argued that Assam has changed a lot since the turbulent times of insurgency.

"If Paresh Baruah comes back and stays in the state for 7 or 10 days in this new Assam, he will understand that it has changed a lot," Sarma told reporters in upper Assam’s Dhola Sadiya.

The Chief Minister said that the idea of outsiders taking over the state has changed dramatically as a result of Assam's shifting demographics.

Now-a-days, states like Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, where a sizable population of Assamese people reside, are fostering a diversified and welcoming environment, he said.

Sarma also asserted that Baruah need not have to engage in peace talks if he agrees for the special visit. Upon returning to his base, the outlawed group commander-in-chief can think about the peace discussions, he said.

Regarding insurgency, Sarma recognised that a number of people who joined groups like ULFA-I are now looking for a way to reintegrate into the mainstream society.

The Chief Minister emphasised that he is committed to making their return easier and that there is no set time-frame for reintegration.

Earlier on January 1, 2022, the Chief Minister had declared that Assamese people need to apply "moral pressure" in order to Baruah to give up his call for independence.

When Sarma took office in May 2021, he had extended an invitation to the outlawed ULFA-I to engage in dialogues, while the group declared a truce. But the negotiations did not advance.