Assam Accord clause 6 issue: CM Sarma to meet AASU leaders today

Guwahati, Sep 25
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma will hold a discussion with the All Assam Students Union (AASU) leaders on Wednesday regarding the implementation of clause 6 of the Assam Accord.

Clause 6 of the Assam Accord states that appropriate constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards will be provided to protect the cultural, social and linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people.

A high-power committee led by Retd. Justice Biplab Kumar Sarma had submitted 67 recommendations to implement clause 6. CM Sarma had announced the implementation of 52 out of a total of 67 recommendations.

The CM had said that before April next year, 52 recommendations of the committee will be implemented which are under the purview of the state government. The rest of the points laid down by the panel fall under the jurisdiction of the Central government.

The AASU, which is one of the signatories of the Assam Accord, demanded that the state government put pressure on the Central government to fully carry out the panel’s recommendations.

Samujjal Bhattacharya, the chief advisor of AASU said, “Justice (Retd.) Sarma committee which was formed to report on implementing clause 6 of the Assam Accord gave a total of 67 recommendations. Out of these, the state government has already announced to implement 52 recommendations and the rest fall under the jurisdiction of the central government. I urge the state government to take up this issue with the Centre and pave the way to implement all the recommendations of the clause 6 committee.”

He has also reminded that the top brass of the BJP earlier promised to implement the Assam Accord.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah promised the people of Assam to implement the Assam Accord. We hope that they have not forgotten about their promise,” the AASU leader added.

Notably, the clause 6 panel led by Justice Biplab Kumar Sarma suggested that, as a stopgap measure, the post-1971 stream of proclaimed foreigners should be placed in locations outside Assam until their expulsion is done. Additionally, the panel also gave the definition of “Assamese”.

The committee mentioned that a number of constitutional and parliamentary reforms will be required to fully implement the recommendations. It has stated that the current Article 371-B of the Constitution will need to be changed.

The Assam Accord, signed following a six-year foreigners' agitation (1979–1985), stipulates that all foreigners entering the state after March 24, 1971, will be deported regardless of their religious affiliation.