Sarbananda Sonowal, Himanta Biswa Sarma meet Amit Shah in New Delhi

* Centre supports Dispur's plea on NRC re-verification

* Shah seeks GoM's report on issue of ST status

* BTR Accord implementation to be expedited

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi and held discussions on several burning issues of Assam.

The discussion was held particularly on the report of the High-Level Committee on Implementation of Clause-VI of the Assam Accord, NRC, Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) Accord execution and granting ST status to six ethnic communities in the State. Sources said that Shah had given a positive response towards solving all the issues.

"Union Home Minister Shah was very positive as he assured the Chief Minister that all the outstanding issues will be dealt with positively. Chief Minister Sonowal also thanked the Union Home Minister for positively deliberating on all the problems that the State has been facing as he termed the discussion being very encouraging and fruitful. He also thanked the Union Home Minister for showing his sincere and strong good will towards the people of Assam," a press communiqué issued by the Chief Minister Office on Sunday evening said.

Sonowal also tweeted saying that the meeting with the Union Home Minister was very fruitful. "Today, we had a fruitful discussion with Hon'ble HM Shri Amit Shahji on various important issues of Assam. Thanks for your sincere and strong good will towards the people of Assam," the CM wrote on his twitter handle.

After the meeting, State Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters in New Delhi that the Centre has agreed to support the State Government's affidavit before the Supreme Court to conduct 20% re-verification of the final NRC in districts bordering Bangladesh and 10% in the other districts. He also said that the Centre will support the Assam Government whenever the NRC issue will come for hearing before the Supreme Court. The final NRC was published on August 31, 2019.

Sarma also said that the Home Minister has asked the State Government to examine the report of the High-Level Committee on Clause 6 with legal experts before sending the same to the Centre. The Committee had submitted its report to Chief Minister Sonowal on February 25, 2020. Sonowal received it on behalf of the Union Home Minister. "Union Home Minister asked us to see whether there is any need to rectify the report. In case there is a need, the report will be rectified. If there is no such need, the report will be submitted as it is," he said.

"Discussion was held on granting the ST (Scheduled Tribe) status to six ethnic communities. The Home Minister has asked us to submit the report of the Group of Ministers (GoM) on the issue within a month. The meeting also discussed about expediting implementation of some Clauses of BTR (Bodoland Territorial Region) Accord in the next 30 days," Sarma said.

Among those present during the meeting were high officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and also Assam Chief Secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna.

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