AASU, AGP want delimitation to secure future of indigenous people of Assam

 BPF wants another HPC within BTR

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The AASU and the AGP said the delimitation exercise of Assembly and Parliamentary constituencies should secure the future of the indigenous people of Assam.

The BPF, on the other hand, said that the Election Commission of India (ECI) should curb out another parliamentary constituency with the BTR.

Speaking to the media today, AASU’s in-charge president, Utpal Sarma, and general secretary, Sankor Jyoti Baruah, said that the Election Commission of India (ECI) published the draft delimited constituencies based on the 2001 Census yesterday.

Sarma said, “When the full ECI team came to Guwahati to hear public opinions, we requested the commission to safeguard the future of the indigenous people of Assam through the delimitation exercise. We also requested the ECI that since the demographic pattern has not changed much in upper Assam, the number of constituencies there should not decrease. We stick to that stand. We are examining the draft proposals. If need be, we will seek the help of experts and their opinions. We will make our final opinion known to the ECI.”

Sankor Jyoti Baruah said, “Clause VI of the Assam Accord speaks of the constitutional safeguards of the indigenous people of Assam. Since the signing of the Assam Accord, the AASU has been requesting successive prime ministers to ensure constitutional safeguards for the indigenous people of Assam. Delimitation of the constituencies is one of the core demands of the AASU. The delimitation should ensure the secure future of the indigenous people of Assam. The Central Government did form a high-level committee to suggest for the implementation of Clause VI of the Assam Accord under the chairmanship of retired justice Biplab Kumar Sharma. The high-level committee submitted its report, which also recommended the delimitation of the constituencies in the state. Thus, the delimitation of constituencies is an opportunity to secure the future of the indigenous people of the state forever.”

Meanwhile, Talking to The Sentinel, AGP president and Cabinet minister Atul Bora said, “We did welcome when the full team of the Election Commission of India came to Guwahati to hear the views of all stakeholders, including political parties and organizations. The draft proposals published yesterday show an increase in the number of LACs in some districts and a decrease in some other districts. We are studying the draft proposals minutely, down to the village level. After a thorough study, we will make our views and opinions known to the Election Commission of India. We, however, stick to the point of securing the future of the indigenous people of the state through the delimitation process. The Congress regime’s patronizing infiltration into the state dealt a body to the indigenous people who lost their domination in some of the LACs.”

BPF Legislature Party leader Durga Das Boro said, “We did approach the Election Commission of India with a memorandum in which we did not oppose the delimitation process. Our request was to retain the reservation of the Kokrajhar HPC for ST. The ECI kept the reservation of the seat intact in the draft proposals. The ECI renamed the Mangaldai HPC the Darrang HPC, with the inclusion of six BTR LACs. Our request was the creation of an HPC with the name Udalguri, comprising LACs of the BTR.”

Boro further said, “As per rule, districts falling under Sixth Schedule areas should not be included in HPCs outside the scheduled areas. However, the proposed Darrang HPC has five LACs of non-scheduled areas and six LACs of Scheduled areas (BTR). Such a large number of LACs in this proposed HPC is a riddle for us. We want two HPC within the BTR.”

He further said that the draft proposals have much to study. The BPF would move the ECI with its opinions, he said.

Also Read:  Election Commission of India publishes draft delimitation proposals

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