Mahanta seeks Central policy on Bangladeshi Hindus

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, July 4: Apprehending large-scale migration of Hindus from Bangladesh to India in the wake of the frequent attacks on the minority community in the neighbouring country, former Assam Chief Minister and senior Asom Ga Parishad (AGP) leader Prafulla Kumar Mahanta has urged the Central government to formulate a policy for rehabilitation of these migrants.

Addressing a press conference, Mahanta said that about 1.7 crore Hindus residing in Bangladesh are living in fear due to recent attacks on them.

He said they (the Hindus) will try to migrate to India at the earliest and “if we go by history, their first choice is always Assam”.

“The order of the Central government in New Delhi to allow minorities in those countries to live in India without documents will only hasten their arrival to India,” said Mahanta.

He added that he wants the NDA government to formulate a clear policy for rehabilitation of these people so that Assam is not made a victim again for “short-term political gains by any political party”. He also said that Assam is already over-populated and the Central government must formulate a clear policy to settle and rehabilitate these people from the other side of the border elsewhere in India, excluding Assam.

Mahanta also took up the issue of the Central government’s decision to auction 12 small oilfields in Assam to private parties and said that when oil prices are falling globally, it is bad business to sell our own oil reserves to multitiols at this time, as the State will not get right prices for its tural resources.

“If at all the government of India is keen on getting rid of these oilfields at whatever prices they get, they should be handed over to the Assam government which has enough expertise and infrastructure to extract oil from these wells,” he said.

Mahanta also slammed the Central government’s recent decision to set up the proposed All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) at Baihata Chariali in Kamrup district instead of Raha in gaon district.

“We have confirmed reports that the central team had already approved Raha for setting up of the AIIMS. However, the venue of the proposed AIIMS was shifted to Baihata Chariali and the State government has already allocated land for the purpose in Baihata Chariali,” he said, seeking the intervention of Prime Minister rendra Modi in the matter.

In a letter to the PM, Mahanta also sought rectification of the voter ID cards in the State. “Voter identity cards issued in Assam are totally different from the rest of the country. In Assam, the card bears the me of the person and a relative. But in other states, the me of the father or husband is displayed. The reason behind this is not known,” Mahanta added.

The AGP leader also sought expeditious resolution of inter-state border disputes involving Assam.