Proposes 1951 as cut-off year for implementing ILP in state
Guwahati, February 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 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.
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