On August 8, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma invited the ‘chief’ of the Independent faction of United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA-I) Paresh Baruah, and asked him to spend at least a week in the state, reports Northeast Now. Describing Baruah as an "intellectual and educated person," Sarma expressed his hope that the ULFA-I leader would accept his invitation to engage in peaceful discussions. Speaking on the matter, Sarma emphasized the transformation that Assam has undergone since the tumultuous days of insurgency.