The banned United Liberation Front of Asom has criticised the GOC 4 Corps of the Indian Army B S Jaswal, the head of the counter-insurgency operations in Assam, for issuing a 'threatening' statement aimed at families of ULFA militants.

The senior army officer, during his last interaction with the media in Guwahati on September 26, called upon the families of ULFA militants to try convince their wayward sons to come back home and join the mainstream, abjuring the path of violence so that their misguided wards are prevented from getting killed by security forces during the counter insurgency operations.

He also called upon ULFA militants to surrender and join the mainstream and get rehabilitated to save their own lives.

In the latest edition of its mouthpiece Freedom, that was released on the Internet, the ULFA flayed the Indian Army commander for issuing such a "threatening, provocative statement uncalled for from a disciplined army officer in a civilised democracy."

The ULFA stated that no mother in Assam would heed to the 'command' of the commander of  the 'colonial Indian Army' and call back their sons engaged in the 'freedom struggle of Assam' after 10,000 youths had laid down their lives fighting for 'restoration of sovereignty of Assam'.

The ULFA stated that the comment of Lt Gen B S Jaswal spoke volumes of the repressive attitude of the 'colonial Indian rulers and its military' to continue to suppress at gunpoint the voice of freedom of the aspiring people of Assam

The ULFA alleged that the army showed scant respect for human rights and the statement of Lt Gen Jaswal was a reflection of the attitude of the army.

However, the army commander, during the interaction with the media, candidly stated that 'intended aberration' on the part of any personnel of the forces during the counter insurgency operation would be dealt with firmly.

He also said that the people in general and the media in particular should also take strong exception to human rights violation by terrorists.