Assam CM hails Assam Accord decision

Guwahati: Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Thursday said that the decision of the Union Cabinet on Wednesday to safeguard and protect the interest and cultural and linguistic identity of the indigenous people of Assam was a historic step.

Referring the decision of the Union Cabinet, held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the chief minister said, “The decision taken by the Union Cabinet to set up a high-level committee to implement Clause 6 of Assam Accord would pave the way for reserving seats for indigenous people in Assam Legislative Assembly, local bodies and state government jobs.”

The chief minister said that decisions such as starting a superfast train service, setting up of a Bodo museum-cum-language and cultural study centre, modernisation of existing All-India Radio station and Doordarshan Kendra at Kokrajhar would speed up development in the BTAD area.

BTAD chief Hagrama Mohilary has also expressed his happiness over the decision of the Union Cabinet.

However, All-Assam Students’ Union (AASU) termed the decisions taken by the Union Cabinet as an attempt to hoodwink the people of Assam and said that there is nothing new in forming of a committee to examine issues relating to implementation of clause 6 of the Assam Accord.

The AASU chief adviser Mr Samujjal Bhattacharya said that only because of the strong resentment among the people of the state against the Centre’s attempts to pass the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, the central government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi found time to discuss about the Assam Accord. He said that it is nothing but a ploy to hoodwink the people of the state.

Assam Congress said that decision of the union cabinet to set up committee to implement Clause 6 of the Assam accord was aimed at to appease the people before 2019 Lok Sabha elections. “There have been several committees constituted earlier for implementation of Assam Accord but no one knows when will the final report be submitted by the committee,” Assam Congress president Ripun Bora said.

The union cabinet on Wednesday decided to set up a high-level committee to recommend how to provide constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards to the indigenous people of Assam, including by reserving seats in the state assembly.

Home minister Rajnath Singh said the decision has been taken according to the Assam Accord signed in 1985 which envisaged that appropriate constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards shall be provided to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people.

“The committee will hold discussions with all stakeholders and assess the required quantum of reservation of seats in Assam legislative assembly and local bodies for Assamese people,” he said. The minister said the panel will also assess the requirement of measures to be taken to protect Assamese and other indigenous languages of the state, quantum of reservation in employment under the government of Assam and other measures to protect Assamese heritage.

“It was a very significant decision for the promotion and protection of cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of Assamese people,” he said.

“The composition and terms of reference of the committee will be issued separately by the ministry of home affairs. It is expected that the setting up of the committee will pave the way for the implementation of the Assam accord in letter and spirit and will help fulfil long-standing expectations of the Assamese people,” Mr Singh said.

In another decision, the union cabinet also approved a number of measures to fulfill the outstanding issues related to the Bodo community. The Bodo Accord was signed in 2003, which resulted in the establishment of a BTAD.

The Cabinet approved the establishment of a Bodo Musuem-cum-language and cultural study centre, modernisation of existing All India Radio station and Doordarshan Kendra at Kokrajhar and naming a superfast train passing through BTAD as Aronai express.