GUWAHATI: Two influential students’ organisations, All Assam Students’ Union and Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad, which are currently spearheading the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) movement in Assam, on Wednesday announced the constitution of a 16-member advisory committee to help chalk out a roadmap for protecting the interests of Assam and the future of its people.
The ‘Assam Advisory Committee’, as the panel has been named, comprises prominent personalities including former Asam Sahitya Sabha president, Nagen Saikia and writer, Arup Kumar Dutta as advisers while former Meghalaya Governor, Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary and acclaimed filmmaker, Jahnu Baruah are among the group of four conveners.
The committee is expected to give its suggestions to help protect the academic, social, political and political interests of the people of Assam.
Addressing mediapersons at a conference jointly organised by the two organizations here, AASU chief advisor, Samujjal Bhattacharjya said that in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, we could not hold the proposed convention to review the movement against CAA and discuss the future course of action.
“So this advisory committee, comprising prominent personalities, had to be constituted and the prominent personalities in the panel will give us suggestions in the coming days to help prepare a roadmap, take necessary steps in accordance with the situation and secure the future of the indigenous people of Assam,” Bhattacharjya said.
Even as speculations are rife that the formation of the committee is a baby step towards formation of a new regional party, the students’ organisation, however, has chosen to maintain ambiguity.
The AASU chief advisor said that the organisation would continue to remain apolitical and maintain its non-political character.
“We will continue to be part of the democratic movement and fight against political injustice, economic exploitation and betrayal that the people of the state have had to face since Independence,” he said.