Guwahati: The state government will bring a resolution in the assembly requesting the Centre for proper implementation of the Assam Accord.
This was stated by state Parliamentary Affairs Minister Nilamani Sen Deka in the House on Tuesday after a discussion by Opposition AGP on the non-implementation of the accord signed in 1985 by then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and leaders of the Assam agitation.
The resolution may, however, not be brought up in the ongoing winter session, he said later.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi told the assembly, “We want the implementation of Assam Accord. It was signed by Rajiv Gandhi. Yes, it is true that the clauses of the agreement have not been implemented fully, but it is not true that nothing has happened yet.”
He said the main objectives of the accord were to detect and deport illegal migrants from foreign countries to stop future infiltration and ensure economic development of Assam.
“The government is doing everything possible to stop illegal migration and detect infiltrators despite many obstacles and carrying out developmental work,” he added.
Gogoi said fencing along the International Border between India and Bangladesh was important but it alone cannot stop infiltration. “We have made arrangements for flood lights, increased strength of riverine police and outposts.
In the last election, we issued photo identity cards and it has helped us detect foreigners. The government is committed to detect foreigners and protect the people of Assam and its culture,” he added.
He said the propaganda that foreigners were coming into the state in very large numbers was untrue. “Yes, I am not denying that there are infiltrators in Assam, but not in sizeable numbers.”
He distanced terrorism from the infiltration issue saying it has no religion. “Jihadis are there in every state. Yesterday (Monday) they attacked in Sydney. They are not related to infiltration,” he added.
Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s promise during Lok Sabha polls that all Bangladeshi infiltrators would have to leave Assam after May 16, 2014, Gogoi said, “I think as per BJP there are no infiltrators in Assam since May 17. So I don’t know whether fencing is required now or not”. “It is primarily the Centre’s duty to stop infiltration. But yes, detection is our responsibility,” the chief minister said.
He also attacked BJP for its ‘U-turn’ over Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh, saying it had earlier criticised the Congress for signing it and had called him “traitor”.
“BJP members went to the border, hoisted the tri-colour and said no portion of Assam land would be given to Bangladesh. Now they are supporting the agreement and are saying that I told the truth. Now I must thank them,” he said.
Earlier, former Chief Minister and AGP MLA Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, who was one of the signatories of the Assam Accord, said had it been fully implemented, the jihadi problem would not have arisen.
He also attacked BJP for reversing its poll promises for deporting infiltrators after May 16 and said it has instead taken the initiative for visa-free entry to select age-group of Bangladeshi nationals into India.
Initiating the discussion for adoption of the resolution, AGP MLA Phani Bhusan Choudhury said none of the decisions taken in the 16 tripartite meetings have taken place between AASU, who had led the Assam agitation, central and state governments had been implemented.
“It seems the government is not trying to solve the infiltration issue with urgency,” he added. (PTI)