CM Sarma to meet delegation of AASU leaders on Assam Accord

Guwahati, Sep 24 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is set to meet with All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) leaders regarding the implementation of Justice (Retd.) Biplab Kumar Sarma Committee report regarding Clause 6 of the Assam Accord, officials said on Tuesday.

CM Sarma will have a meeting with an AASU delegation on Wednesday.

He said, “We shall have a series of meetings with AASU leaders and that will begin on Wednesday. The state government wants AASU to give their opinion on how to implement the recommendations of the Clause 6 panel. Later, we will meet with other organisations also.”

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 finished.

Additionally, the panel also gave the definition of “Assamese”.

The committee mentioned that a number of constitutional and parliamentary reforms would be required in order to fully implement its 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.

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.

Samujjal Bhattacharya, the advisor of AASU earlier said, “The Justice Sarma Committee which was formed to give a 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 Union 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.”

--IANS

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