Guwahati, Jan 2: The Assam Trinamool Congress on Monday slammed the recent decision of the Assam government to do away with four relatively new districts – Biswanath, Hojai, Bajali and Tamulpur – by merging them with four other districts.
Addressing mediapersons here on Monday, Assam TMC president Ripun Bora opposed the decision, terming it as a ‘whimsical’ move of the Assam government ahead of the constituency delimitation exercise in the state.
“The argument made by the chief minister in favour of the merger of the four districts is unacceptable,” Bora said.
Ahead of the delimitation of Assembly and Parliamentary constituencies in Assam, the state Cabinet had on Saturday approved the merger of Biswanath district with Sonitpur district, Hojai district with Nagaon district, Bajali district with Barpeta district and Tamulpur district with Baksa district.
A notification has been issued in this regard even as chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said it was a “temporary” measure and that the government might reconsider the decision after the delimitation process was completed.
“If at all the constituency delimitation exercise has to be carried out it can be done within the district. Then again, such an interim delimitation of constituencies, which is not constitutionally mandatory, will be rendered meaningless as after three years (in 2026), a nationwide delimitation will have to be carried out in accordance with the mandate of the Constitution which allows such a drill after 30 years,” the Assam TMC chief said.
“Back in 2007, (when Assam was ruled by a Congress government), parties such as the AGP and BJP among others had opposed the delimitation exercise on the pretext of an incorrect National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state. So has the NRC become correct now?,” he asked.
Bora said that the Assam government has moved the Supreme Court opposing the updated NRC while the apex court has given an opportunity to the 19 lakh people, excluded from the NRC, to make appeals. “So how can a delimitation exercise take place now without resolving these issues,” the Assam TMC chief said.
He further announced that a series of protests, demanding withdrawal of the district merger move, would be staged from January 4.
“Accordingly, the party will stage protests under the aegis of the district units, beginning with a dharna in front of the Tamulpur revenue circle office on January 4 and similar protests in front of the Bajali deputy commissioner’s office on January 5, Hojai deputy commissioner’s office on January 6 and in front of the Biswanath deputy commissioner’s office on January 7,” Bora said.