"Our country largely depends on sectors like agriculture, industry andd power and the Assam Government is lagging far behind in all the three fronts." - CHANDRA MOHAN PATOWARY, AGP president.

I appealed to the Naga students to stop the blockede against Manipur. They responded to it and came to meet us. We believe that all problems should be solved through dialogues." - SHANKAR PRASAD RAI, president of AASU.

"It is high time to have a social securty programme for the farmers as they have no such organizations like Pay Commission for the government servants and unions for industrial workers." - JB PATNAIK, Governor of Assam.

"We are at a point where we may even lose our own histry and right if we do not find an early solution to the Naga political problem." - NEIPHIU RIO, Nagaland Chief Minister.

"Sovereignty is a vital demand of the ULFA. The government should show an interest in this demand.....discussion on sovereignty does not mean it has to be granted." - PRADIP GOGOI, ULFA vice chairman.

"There is no question of ONGC shifting its operations out of Assam." - JITIN PRASADA, Minister of State for Petroleume and Natural Gas.

"The issue of dividing Indian Standard Time (IST) into two and form a new 'Eastern Time' has been discussed at various levels since the 1980's but the Government of India is not ready to accept the demands and the decade - long demand has borne no fruit." - LAL THANHAWLA, Mizoram CM.

"Updating the NRC immediately and taking stern measures against cross border influx, as well as constitutional safeguard to the people of Assam are the need of the hour to save the Assamese society from extinction." - SATYENDRA PRASAD DEKA, noted advocate.

"The sooner the people realized that Bihu will not survive the ongoing unbridled commercialization at a time when the local economy comprising agriculture, trade and industry is under total dominion of outsiders, the better would it be for the future of the State and its inhabitants." - DEVEN DUTTA, public activist.

"To face the world, we first need to know our roots and learn to take pride in what we are. Our young generation should first be taught about their own land, people, culture, language, resources and opportunities available and the means to utilize it." - JAHNU BARUAH, noted film director.

"I am proud to state that Kaziranga National Park has the highest density of tigers compared to any known tiger habitats in the world." - ROCKYBUL HUSSAIN, Assam Forest Minister.

" No quarter can be given to those who have taken upon themselves to challenge to authority of the Indian state and the fabric of our democratic polity." - MANMOHAN SINGH, Prime Minister.

"We are likely to get good news soon....... we are trying our level best to state dailogue." - TARUN GOGOI, Chief Minister on Government- ULFA peace talks.

"Hiren Gohain's comment about me and the ULFA is unfortunate. He is not aware of ULFA's internal democracy and should acquire more knowledge about the outfit." - PARESH BARUA, ULFA commander-in-chief in reaction to a statement issued by Hiren Gohain.

"As for the endless hair-splitting on sovereignty, our view is that in the light of developing real trends all over the world it is necessary to go beyond textbooks of political science and legalistic apporach to complex political issues. We are hopeful that given an open mind and goodwill on both sides (ULFA & Government), it may still be possible to reach a positive conclusion of the talks to the relief of the people of Assam." - HIREN GOHAIN, noted scholar.

"Chief trafficking, be it for forced labour or prostitution, is very much rampant in the North-East along with the rest of the country. Within India, there are an estimated 2.3 million women in prostitution, of which nearly six lakhs are children." - HASINA KHARBHIH, team leader of the Impulse Network, a North-East-based NGO.

"My government would give special focus on youth to realise their potential and also uplift the condition of the poor and infirm." - MUKUL M SANGMA, new Maghalaya CM.