Panel on Clause six of Assam accord submits report

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Guwahati, Feb 20 (IANS) A high-level panel formed to review and suggest measures for implementation of Clause six of 1985 Assam accord has handed over its report in a sealed cover to state Chief Secretary Sanjay Krishna through the Assam Accord Implementation Department, a committee member said on Thursday.

Clause 6 of the 1985 Assam Accord pledges to provide constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social and linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people.

"We have submitted the final report to the state chief secretary through an officer of the state's Assam Accord Implementation Department, which is closely involved in the whole process," All Assam Students Union (AASU) General Secretary Lurinjyoti Gogoi told IANS.

Gogoi, along with the organisation's president Dipanka Kumar Nath and Chief Advisor Samujjal Bhattacharya figure in the 14-member panel chaired by retired judge of Gauhati High Court Biplab Kumar Sharma.

The AASU leader said the decision followed a direction from the Ministry of Home Affairs that the report be given to the Chief Secretary of Assam. And through him, it will go to the MHA.

"Earlier, the committee had been directed to hand over the report to Home Minister (Amit Shah) in the presence of the Chief Minister (Sarbananda Sonowal). That was not done. So now it has been sealed and given to the Chief Secretary through the Assam Accord Implementation Department," said Gogoi.

He said after completing the final report on February 10, the committee had written to the MHA thrice to know the mechanism for submitting it.

"But Joint Secretary (north east) of the ministry Satyendra Garg sent a message that the Home Minister is very busy because of the impending visit of US President Donald Trump and the report will be accepted after February 18. But despite the communications through email and letter, the committee chairman did not get any type of clear confirmation from the Home Ministry on it receiving the report," said Gogoi.

The committee has proposed 1951 as the cut-off year for implementing the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the state.

The ILP, a mechanism to control the entry of outsiders into the state, has been implemented in the states of Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh. It was also introduced in Manipur in the wake of protests over the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act that was introduced recently.

According to sources, the high-level committee has recommended that those residing in Assam since 1951, and their descendants, are to be considered as the indigenous people of the state.

The Union Home Ministry set up the panel to examine the effectiveness of actions taken since 1985 to implement Clause 6 of the Assam Accord, and suggest measures.

The Union Home Ministry had in January last year announced formation of the high-level committee headed by retired Union Secretary M.P. Bezbaruah, but the move came a cropper with six of the nine members refusing to take part.

The Centre then reconstituted the panel with 14 members in July last year, naming Sharma as the chairman.

According to ministry sources, apart from 67 per cent reservation for indigenous people of the state, the 13-member committee has also suggested reservation in terms of legislative and Lok Sabha seats for them.

The Assam Accord of 1985 was signed after the north-eastern state witnessed a six-year-long violent movement from 1979 to 1985 seeking detection and deportation of illegal Bangladeshis.

The movement finally led to the accord between the Centre and leaders of the agitation belonging to the All Assam Students Union and the All Assam Gana Sangram Parishad in the presence of then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

--IANS

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