GUWAHATI: The All Assam Students’ Union, a signatory to the Assam Accord of 1985, and part of the high-level committee constituted by the Centre for implementation of Clause 6 of the Accord, on Tuesday released the confidential report of the panel more than five months after it was submitted to the chief minister for handing it over to Union home minister, Amit Shah.
Addressing a media conference here, AASU representatives, along with another member of the Clause 6 committee and advocate, Nilay Dutta, said that with both the Centre and the state government remaining silent on the report since its submission on February 25, 2020, the union felt that the people of the state had the right to know about the contents of the report.
“Over five months have passed since we submitted the report and we are still in the dark about the report. We had been repeatedly raising the issue of making the report public but have not received any communication from the government,” AASU president, Dipanka Kumar Nath said.
It may be mentioned that the report of the committee led by Justice (retired) B.K Sharma, was signed on February 10, 2020.
Clause 6 of the Accord guarantees constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards, as may be appropriate, to protect, preserve and promote the culture, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people.
AASU chief advisor, Samujjal Bhattacharjya, while recalling the assurances given by the Union home minister of implementing the report by the high-level committee in letter and spirit, rued the fact that “not a single word” has been uttered in regard to the recommendations over the past five months.’
“The onus of making the report public was on the government. But on the contrary, the confidentiality of the report was violated and made known to some members of the ruling party. So we felt that now the people of Assam had every right to know the recommendations of the panel,” Bhattacharjya said, adding that the union would not remain silent till the government acts and executes the recommendations.
He said that the union has recommended amendments to the Accord in accordance with the Constitution. “Among the core proposals, we have recommended framing a time-bound action plan (not exceeding two years) for implementation of all clauses of the Assam Accord, including detection (of foreigners), deletion (from the voters’ list) and deportation,” the AASU leader said.
“We have categorically recommended complete implementation of the clauses of the Accord, particularly Clauses 5.1 to 5.9 (regarding citizenship), Clause 7 (economic development), Clause 10 (tribal belts, blocks and government land protection), 11 (other safeguards) are essential safeguards to be provided under Clause 6 of the Accord. So, we have made it clear that there will be no dilution of the clauses,” Bhattacharjya informed.
One of the contentious issues since the signing of the Accord was the definition of Assamese people, which the committee has addressed and included Assamese people staying in the state on or before 1951, indigenous groups, other indigenous communities, Indian citizens staying in Assam, on or before 1951, and their descendants.
The union further revealed that among other key suggestions, it has sought land rights for indigenous people, Inner Line Permit for Assam, immediate measures to seal the India-Bangladesh border, 100 per cent seat reservation in Assembly, Parliament and local bodies for indigenous people, 90 to 100 per cent job reservation in state, central and semi-central government posts, including posts in public sector undertakings.