An influential separatist group Saturday urged New Delhi to hold a plebiscite on its demand for independence of Assam, a rebel statement said. 

"If the Indian government is not agreeable to discussing our core demand for independence during peace talks, let them hold a plebiscite in Assam and we are ready to accept the people's verdict and so should New Delhi," Arabinda Rajkhowa, chairman of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), said in an e-mailed statement received by IANS.

"Let the people decide by way of a referendum if they want independence or not. The problem in Assam can be resolved immediately," the statement said.

The ULFA, founded in 1979, is fighting for an independent Assamese homeland.

Most of the top ULFA leaders are widely believed to be operating from bases outside India with some intelligence agencies saying some of the guerrilla leaders reside in Bangladesh - a fact Dhaka strongly denies.

"War is not a solution but a tool for solution," Rajkhowa said.

"We are waging an armed struggle to preserve our national pride and restore independence from the yoke of Indian occupational forces."

During the past two months, ULFA has repeatedly offered to hold peace talks with New Delhi if its demand for sovereignty or independence is discussed.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, during a visit to Assam Monday, ruled out discussions on independence, saying Assam was an "integral part" of India. He urged the militants to abandon arms if they wanted to resolve the region's problems, saying New Delhi's door was "always open for negotiation" with any group that shunned violence.

"On one hand the Indian government is offering unconditional talks and at the same we hear the prime minister putting up preconditions by saying he would hold negotiations only with groups who give up arms.  This in itself is contradictory and exposes the government's double standards," the ULFA leader said. 

"We on our part want a negotiated settlement to the issue and have been expressing our desire but it is New Delhi that is putting up roadblocks in our efforts."

Rajkhowa's statement comes ahead of Sunday's "protest day" that marks the 14th anniversary of Operation Bajrang, a massive military crackdown on ULFA.

"Despite all the sufferings and the negative statements made by the prime minister with regard to holding talks with us, we regard him as a great scholar and (are) quite hopeful he will understand the feelings of the people who are fighting for their democratic rights and aspirations," the rebel statement said.

The ULFA leader, however, said the outfit would continue to fight until they achieve independence.  More than 10,000 people have lost their lives to insurgency in Assam during the past two decades.

--Indo-Asian News Service