GUWAHATI: Anguished by the growing public ire against the party and alleged attacks on legislators in the course of the anti-Citizenship Act movement, a delegation of BJP MLAs has appealed to chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal to take strong measures for implementation of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord along with other safeguards for indigenous communities.
Over a dozen legislators led by Sootea MLA, Padma Hazarika met the chief minister at his residence here on Thursday with a plea to intervene and clarify before the people in regard to the steps to be taken by the Assam government for their protection on a number of issues.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Hazarika said, “We have appealed to the chief minister to intervene and take strong steps for implementation of Clause 6, provision of jobs for the unemployed, Scheduled Tribe status for six indigenous communities, land policy, et al.”
“We have specifically requested the chief minister to take a Cabinet decision to announce that Assamese language will remain as the state language,” the legislator said.
He admitted that Clause 6 should have been implemented before the contentious Bill became a law but said the members of the high-level committee were on the job and visiting various districts across Assam.
The MLA alleged that “certain statements by some ministers coupled with misinformation spread by certain quarters have spoilt the ambience in the state of late” and created apprehensions among sections of people.
“We have seen how TET teachers, Anganwadi and ASHA workers, mid-day meal workers had taken to the streets to protest for their rights. So we have appealed to the chief minister to intervene and take these sections into confidence,” Hazarika said.
He further expressed concern that some unscrupulous elements were taking advantage of a democratic agitation to target the party MLAs in a “planned” manner, abuse them and attack their houses.
“We respect the democratic agitation against CAA and will abide by the Supreme Court verdict on the legislation. We want peace in Assam. People have questioned our love for Assam. But I would request them to trust us,” Hazarika said.
