Keep provisions of Assam Accord intact: Congress to JPC

GUWAHATI, May 7: The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee pleaded the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on Citizen (Amendment) Bill-2016, to keep intact the provision of the historic Assam Accord at any cost for the interest of the country as well as to the state of Assam. The JPC was here in Guwahati on Monday attending the public hearing on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill-2016 at administrative staff college, Khanapara.  

“Since it was universally accepted, that all those who migrated to Assam before 25 March 1971 has already been accepted; and now under which circumstances, Assam is willing to accept further burden of such migrant population?” The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) asked the JPC while submitting the party’s memoranda besides attending the public hearing.  

Stressing that the proposed Bill will seriously destroy the socio-cultural and political identity of the people of Assam,” the APCC observed that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill-2016 will defeat the very purpose of National Register of Citizenship (NRC). “It will be a complete turnaround to the historic Assam Accord,” the APCC said.

The APCC apprised the JPC that the people of Assam irrespective of caste, creed, community and religion have been living in peace and harmony. But, unfortunately, after this proposed Citizenship (Amendment) Bill – 2016, distrust and division have created among different sections of people and community, the APCC said. “The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill – 2016 is ill conceived and against the basic principles of the Constitutions of India. Further, the Bill is going to destroy the basic principle of the State Re-organization Act-1956, which was enacted on the recommendations of the State Re-organization Commission of 1953 constituted by the Govt of India under which States were created on linguistic basis,” the APCC said.   The memorandum was submitted to the JPC led by APCC president Ripun Bora and the leader of opposition, Assam Legislative Assembly Debabrath Saikia besides others.