(KUNA) -- Chief Minister of India's Northeastern state of Assam Tarun Gogoi Wednesday alleged that certain forces in the neighbouring countries, specially Bangladesh, is encouraging insurgency activities in the state. "Assam is surrounded by different countries. I am not saying that the countries are directly involved. But there are extremist elements in Bangladesh who are encouraging insurgency in Assam and authorities are not dealing with these elements firmly," Gogoi told news agency Press Trust of India today. "The Indian government has not received positive response from Bangladesh on the issue so far," Gogoi said. Several of the insurgent leaders from India's Northeast are reported to be based in Bangladesh. Despite, New Delhi's repeated request, Dhaka is yet to take concrete action against them. "It is very difficult to root out the insurgency from Assam if the bases of insurgent groups thrive in the neighbouring countries," he asserted. Assam's key insurgent group -- United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) wants to create a "sovereign Assam" carved out of India and is waging an insurgency since 1979. It has little public support in Assam and most of its top leadership is reported to operating from Bangladesh. Leading US think tank Stratfor, few months back, in a report -- India: ULFA Abandons Peace Talks -- had said that ULFA was keen to work with groups like Bangladesh-based Harkat ul Jihadi Islami in India's Northeast and has begun to outsource terror operations.
On peace talks with outlawed ULFA, Gogoi said, "Dialogue has to be held within the framework of the Indian Constitution. New Delhi is prepared to hold discussions with the group but the sovereignty issue has to be dropped from the group's agenda. Even for other insurgent groups from India's Northeast, the government talked with them within the parameters of the constitution. The same principle will apply to ULFA or any other rebel group." Meanwhile, two ULFA leaders surrendered today in upper Assam's Dibrugarh district, the news agency said. The duo -- Bhaimon Changmai and Bina Payeng -- surrendered a nine-mm pistol, one magazine and six rounds of live ammunition before the Indian security forces.