MORIGAON, Aug 24 - The All Assam Students Union (AASU) and 26 other indigenous ethnic students� bodies today appealed to the people of Morigaon district to enlist their names in the ongoing update process of the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
Addressing a joint press meet here AASU advisor Dr Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharya along with the presidents of all other students� unions said that NRC is the constitutional safeguard to the indigenous genuine Indians in Assam based on the Assam Accord at a time when illegal Bangladeshis have threatened the very existence of indigenous people of Assam.
Dr Bhattacharya said that indigenous people of Assam are getting the last chance to enlist their names in the NRC due to the verdict of the Supreme Court (SC).
He said that the apex court clearly observed that due to the influx from Bangladesh to Assam internal disturbance here has reached its climax and the both the State and Central governments are non-functional on the Clause 6 of the Assam Accord, i.e. detection and deportation of foreign nationals, besides the Clause 9, i.e. sealing of border and clause 10, i.e. protection of tribal belts and blocks of Assam from the onslaught of illegal foreigners.
As per the Assam Accord, which was signed by the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and the AASU in 1985, the constitutional right must be provided to the indigenous people of Assam, Dr Bhattacharya added.
Asked about the BJP policy that the Bangladeshi Hindus might be treated as refugees in India, Dr Bhattacharya said that the AASU has a clear stand that those who migrated to the State after March 25, 1971 must quit India irrespective of their religion. Assam cannot take the burden of the Bangladeshi refugees alone, asserted Dr Bhattacharya.
