GUWAHATI: As the Centre is allegedly sitting idle, the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) on Tuesday released the “confidential” report of the high-level committee on Clause 6 of the Assam Accord.
The AASU, which had three members in the committee, said people had the right to know the contents of the report submitted to the Centre more than five months ago.
The committee was constituted by the Centre towards the implementation of the Accord’s Clause 6 which says: “Constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards, as may be appropriate, shall be provided to protect, preserve and promote the culture, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people”.
The committee recommended that the Assam Accord must be fully implemented in a time-bound manner so as to facilitate detection and deportation of the foreigners in Assam. The Committee noted that the Accord is yet to be fully and effectively implemented even after 35 years of its signing. It sought prompt and adequate measures to completely seal the India-Bangladesh border in the line of India-Pakistan border.
Till the deportation of post-1971 stream of declared foreigners is completed, they should be resettled in areas outside Assam as an interim measure, the committee suggested.
After deliberations and consideration of various representations from the stakeholders and further, on the basis of interactions with various organisations and individuals, the committee concluded that the definition of the term “Assamese people” for the specific purpose of implementation of the Clause 6 of the Accord should consist of indigenous tribals as well as other indigenous communities of Assam over and above indigenous Assamese.
It recommended that while providing constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards in terms of Clause 6 of the Accord, the term “Assamese people” shall be construed as regards citizens of India who are part of the Assamese community, any indigenous tribal community of Assam, any other indigenous community of Assam and all other citizens of India residing in Assam on or before January 1, 1951, and their descendants.
The committee recommended the reservation of seats in Parliament, Assam Legislative Assembly and local bodies. It suggested that 80 to 100% of seats in Parliament, which are allotted to Assam, should be reserved for the “Assamese people”. Further, it recommended reservation of seats for the “Assamese people” in the state Assembly and local bodies to the extent of 80 to 100% which will be inclusive of pre-existing reservations.
The committee also recommended the making of adequate provisions for an Upper House (Legislative Council of Assam) with reservation of all seats for the “Assamese People”.
It suggested that adequate measures be taken for provisions in respect of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system in Assam, reservation of 80 to 100% of Group C and D level posts in central government, semi-central government, central PSUs, private sector falling and arising in Assam, 80 to 100% of jobs under state government and its undertakings and 70 to 100% of vacancies arising in private partnerships in the state for the “Assamese people”.
As regards land rights, the committee recommended that the provisions of Assam Land Revenue and Regulation, 1886 (as amended) should be strictly followed. In addition, the land rights be confined to the “Assamese people” putting restrictions on transferring the same by any means to other persons other than “Assamese people.”
It suggested that the policy pertaining to Assam’s official language be given appropriate constitutional protection under Article 371 B.