Assam extremist groups using social media platforms to recruit: CM

More than 1,500 youths have joined at least five outfits since 2016, data tabled in the Assembly said

GUWAHATI

Lured via social media platforms, youths in Assam continue to join extremist groups despite a slew of peace pacts with such outfits since 2014.

A fortnight ago, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs had listed the Bodo Accord of January 2020, Karbi agreement of April 2021, and suspension of operations with the pro-talks faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) as factors for a significant dip in extremism and violence in the State.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who holds the Home portfolio in the State, told the 126-member Assam Assembly that 1,561 young men and women had joined at least five extremist groups since 2016. These groups are the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB), the People’s Democratic Council of Karbi Longri (PDCK), the ULFA, and the United People’s Revolutionary Front.

Said to have been disbanded, the NDFB and its factions were signatories to the Bodo Accord. So was the PDCK after the Karbi pact.

Replying to a question from Congress leader Debabrata Saikia, Mr. Sarma said the extremist groups, specifically the ULFA (Independent) headed by the fugitive Paresh Baruah, have been brainwashing youths with propaganda via Facebook, Messenger and Twitter.

Social media sites monitored by the Assam Police under the Cyberdrome Project helped identify 990 “objectionable posts” by such brainwashed youths during the 2021-22 fiscal, the Chief Minister said.