Guwahati: The banned ULFA (United Liberation Front of Assam) has demanded a plebiscite on the issue of "sovereignty" of Assam and accused the Centre of maintaining "double standards" on the proposed peace talks.

ULFA Chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, in a statement last night (Nov 27, 2004), said the outfit was prepared to follow the verdict of the plebiscite and urged the Centre to do the same.

"The ULFA has been trying to solve the issue through peaceful means through dialogue as we know that war is not a solution but only a tool to achieve a solution," he said.

Referring to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's recent statement in Guwahati that sovereignty cannot be discussed, Rajkhowa said, "On one hand the Centre had called for talks without any pre-condition for the peace talks but at the same time he (Singh) himself imposed one by declaring that sovereignty cannot be discussed."

"ULFA is keen on solving the problems through talks and that is why the outfit supported the move of noted litterateur Indira Goswami to initiate talks," he said.

Referring to the Assam agitation, the ULFA Chairman said that the Centre has ignored the six yearlong movements by not implementing the Assam Accord signed in 1985.