AASU, AGP strongly oppose Centre's move before panel

Hearing on amendment of citizenship law

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHAI, Oct 25:  The All Assam Students Union (AASU) on Tuesday vehemently registered its opposition to the Centre’s move to grant citizenship to Hindu Bangladeshis before the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC). 

Attending the JPC hearing held at Parliament House in New Delhi, held to discuss with stakeholders the issue of amending the Citizenship Act, 1955, the AASU delegation said, “The proposed Bill will wipe out the rights and identity of the indigenous people of Assam. This Bill violates the provisions of Assam Accord. Assam cannot shoulder any more burden of Bangladeshi immigrants.”

The AASU delegation comprised of chief adviser Samujjal Bhattacharya, president Dipanka Kumar th, general secretary Lurinjyoti Gogoi and educationist Basanta Deka.

The delegation further said the issue of humanitarian aspect and intertiol cooperation was taken into consideration while Assam Accord was inked, and accordingly 1971 was accepted as the base year for detecting illegal immigrants in the State.

“It was also clearly mentioned in the affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court by the Centre which was prepared based on the treaty signed between the then prime ministers of India and Bangladesh, that all Bangladeshi immigrants entering Assam after March 24, 1971 will be sent back,” the delegation said before the committee.

The delegation also demanded constitutiol safeguard for the indigenous people of Assam.

The AASU delegation made it clear before the joint parliamentary panel that AASU will in no way accept the burden of Bangladeshi immigrants who entered Assam after 1971.

   Meanwhile, opposing the Centre’s move, the AGP also strongly expressed its views before the chairman of Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), Satyapal Singh.

A team of AGP leaders comprising of Gunin Hazarika, spokesperson Dilip Patgiri and Dilip Bora told the JPC to detect and expel illegal immigrants as per provisions of the Assam Accord.  

“Assam can no longer be the dumping ground for Bangladeshi migrants. Assam took a lot of refugees during and after partition and during the 1971 Bangladesh war. So we cannot accept any Bangladeshi tiols coming to the State after March 24, 1971.”