GUWAHATI: The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) has reiterated that it would remain a non-political organisation despite the recent formation of the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) and the headway made by the regional political party ahead of next year’s Assembly polls.
Speaking to the media, AASU general secretary Lurinjyoti Gogoi reiterated that the students union “was, is and will remain a non-political entity” in future.
“The students union is very much in the hearts of the people and the people of Assam need to repose confidence and trust in the organisation,” Gogoi said.
Speculations are rife that the influential students’ organisation might play an active role in the 2021 Assembly elections given that it has recently floated the regional political party as an alternative force to take on the ruling party and Opposition in the polls, which is less than seven months away.
Gogoi apart, other leaders of the AASU too have earlier claimed that despite the formation of the political party the students’ union would maintain its non-political stance and in no way dilute its core character of a vigilant social group.
Till date, two leaders of the frontline students’ organisation, Raju Phukon, and Chittaranjan Basumatary, however, have opted for active politics as office-bearers in the AJP.
Phukon will oversee AJP’s work in Golaghat, Sivasagar and Jorhat districts while Basumatary will be responsible for Jonai, Dhemaji, and Dibrugarh districts.
Asked whether he would contest next year’s Assembly elections, the AASU leader said he has been given the responsibility to take the students union forward and that he was currently focused to do just that.
“The political convention (of AJP to be held under the aegis of the students union in November) will decide the final state committee and what role members will play,” Gogoi said.
Asked about the fate of the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) movement, the AASU general secretary affirmatively said the agitation would continue across the state in phases.
“The pandemic had put the brakes on movement to an extent. We will resume the agitation,” he said.
