Guwahati: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday gave assurance to the people of Assam on implementation of Assam Accord’s Clause 6 that promises constitutional safeguards to Assamese people.
He also pledged to complete fencing along India-Bangladesh border to stop infiltration across the border.
Addressing a meeting of functionaries of Assam State BJP’s here, Rajnath said, “Clause 6 of Assam Accord will be implemented fully and the ongoing work on updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) of 1951 in Assam till March 25, 1971 to facilitate expeditious detection of illegal migrants staying in the state.”
Rajnath’s assurance on implementation of Clause 6 of Assam Accord which was signed on August 15, 1985 between the Government of India and the leadership of Assam Agitation against illegal migrants from Bangladesh, came amid vociferous demands in the state for providing constitutional safeguards to the indigenous people of Assam.
Especially in the wake of Narendra Modi government’s move to grant citizenship of persecuted minorities from neighbouring countries including Hindu Bengalis from Bangladesh, through the proposed amendment to the Citizenship Act.
The Home Minister also made renewed calls to militants of the state to come over for dialogue and warned that there would be no show of leniency by the government towards those who are indulging in violence.
He called upon the state administration to gear up and change their mode of functioning to get attuned to the new way of people-centric functioning of BJP-led NDA government in the Centre.
He pointed out that Assam would never prosper unless its farmers’economic condition doesn’t improve. He reiterated the commitment of the BJP government to double the income of farmers.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said the security of the more than 200-kilometre-long Indo-Bangladesh border was a priority for the BJP government and it will be completely sealed in next one and a half years.
“We are committed to sealing the 223.7-km Indo-Bangladesh border and the process is on. It is expected to be completed within the next year and a half,” Singh said addressing BJP workers here.
“Bangladesh is our neighbouring country and we share a good and warm relation, which we will continue to pursue and remain committed to in the future,” he said.
The Union minister, without referring to the issues of illegal migration and granting of citizenship to Hindu refugees, assured the people of Assam that BJP was committed to protect the interests of the indigenous population of the state as per Clause 6 of the Assam Accord.
The Union minister said the Centre will make no compromise on the issue of insurgency as he claimed that violence has considerably come down in the state. “If any people or group have any grievances, problems or issues, we are ready to talk to them… We are ready to embrace them and talk. But if there is violence, there will be no compromise,” he added. He also claimed that people have supported PM Narendra Modi’s “bold step” to demonetise high-value currency notes and his fight against black money and corruption.
“The Prime Minister’s bold step of demonetisation has been welcomed by the people of the country and we are grateful for that,” Singh said while addressing BJP workers here. (With inputs from Agencies)
