ULFA leader's poems to hit international book fair

A real-life gun-toting poet may be a rarity but ULFA can boast of having one on its rolls.

A heady mix of finesse of thought and hardness of work is found in ULFA's 'central publicity secretary' Mithinga Daimary, whose collection of poetry would feature in this year's Frankfurt Book Fair, where India is the 'guest of honour'.

The currently jailed leader has to his credit a number of fine poems, which he penned under the pseudonym of Megon Kachari. The collection, titled Melodies and the Guns, would find a pride of place in the international book fair.

Mr Daimary had made a name as a poet much before he joined the outfit. The idea of publishing his collection struck Dr Mamoni Raisom Goswami during her interaction with the militant as the peace negotiator between the prescribed group and the Centre.

Dr Goswami, a Jnanpith-awardee, said she was moved by the poetry of Mr Daimary. "His poems had the smell of the gun and also a deep underlying love for humanity," she added.

The ULFA leader, who was held during 'Operation All Clear' by the Royal Bhutan Army in 2003, had his entire family wiped out during the so-called secret killings in the late 1990s.

He is among the top five jailed leaders whose release has been set as a pre-condition by the ULFA for direct talks with the Centre.

Publishing house UBSPD would bring out the compilation and are hard pressed to meet the deadline as the book fair is just two months away.

The poetry book of this 45-year-old dreaded militant has been translated into English by Pradeep Acharya and Manjit Baruah.