Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Wednesday called upon all insurgent groups, especially the banned United Liberation Front of Asom to come over for direct negotiation with the Central government for the sake of overall development and establishment of peace in the Assam.

The banned ULFA, which had called for a general strike on Independence Day, triggered four explosions in Dhubri and Bongaigaon districts of Assam on Wednesday.

However, no one was injured in those blasts and there was no disruption in celebrations of the Independence Day due to the explosions, police claimed.

Addressing the people on the occasion of the Independence Day, Gogoi stated that continuing insurgency and violence had turned the clock back in respect of development of the state.

He expressed deep concern over barbaric killings of innocent Hindi-speaking people, including children and women by extremists in Karbi Anglong hill district and stated that security forces were asked to be very tough in dealing with the situation.

Gogoi said the Central government had been requested to send more forces for Karbi Anglong where peace-committees had been formed at the local level to assure the Hindi-speaking community as well as other sections of society about the government's commitment to protect lives of the people.

Gogoi claimed that common people of the state were firmly opposed to militancy and sought cooperation from the public to uncover militants' design to cause damage to lives and property in the state.

The chief minister announced that the state police force, which is facing with a major challenge from the insurgent groups, would be modernised and equipped with more sophisticated weapons to live up to the challenge before it.