Guwahati, Sep 28 (IANS) The much-hyped peace process in Assam to solve three decades of insurgency collapsed Wednesday with a civil society group chosen by the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) to initiate peace talks with New Delhi pulling out, blaming the Indian government of double standards.

"We are pulling out of the peace process and shall not continue any further parleys with the government that is keen on trying to solve the conflict in Assam militarily rather than through negotiations," Arup Barbora, spokesperson of the People's Consultative Group (PCG) told reporters here.

The 11-member PCG was nominated by the ULFA to begin exploratory talks with the government in September last year.

The PCG had held three rounds of peace talks with New Delhi - the first round chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in October.

"New Delhi's frequent somersaults and their lack of sincerity was exposed when they went back on their commitment to release five jailed ULFA leaders to facilitate direct talks with the rebel leadership," another PCG member Dilip Patgiri told IANS.

Home Minister Shivraj Patil after the last rounds of talks with the PCG in New Delhi in June said the government would consider releasing five jailed ULFA leaders - a demand made by the outfit to facilitate direct peace talks.

The peace process was deadlocked with New Delhi insisting the ULFA commit itself in writing for direct peace talks.

But the militants, who have been fighting for an independent Assamese homeland in the resource-rich state, have said they cannot give such a pledge until the jailed rebel leaders are freed.

New Delhi's announcement of a unilateral ceasefire against the ULFA for an initial period of 10 days beginning Aug 13 had renewed hopes for peace in the region. The ceasefire was extended until Sep 20.

A week later, the ULFA reciprocated the government's 'goodwill gesture' by announcing cessation of hostilities for an indefinite period. But last weekend, New Delhi called off the ceasefire and resumed military operations blaming the ULFA for stepped up attacks and extortions. The group over the weekend killed a policeman and a plantation manager in eastern Assam.

"The government of India should have trusted the PCG's assurance that the ULFA leadership would come for direct talks if the jailed leaders were released. But still they insisted on a letter from the ULFA and that really deadlocked the peace process," Patgiri said.

The PCG said not a single insurgent movement in the northeast since India's independence in 1947 had been crushed militarily.

"If the government believes that they would be able to curb the insurgency in Assam using the military then they are totally wrong," said Haider Hussain, another PCG member.