GUWAHATI, March 16 � The Opposition AGP today charged the State Government with doing little to expedite the implementation of the Assam Accord, especially in the matter of sealing the porous Assam-Bangladesh border and updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
Raising the issue during question hour in the Assembly, Keshab Mahanta (AGP) said that the Assam Accord Minister, Dr Bhumidhar Barman�s reply to the queries were same in last year�s Assembly session, which showed that the implementation part had progressed very little. He also wanted a clarification from the Minister on the disputed areas along the border and whether the issue was taken up during Indo-Bangla talks.
Dr Barman, in his reply, said that the issue of disputed areas was yet to be resolved, and that only a portion of .87 km of border fencing had remained to be completed by the Assam PWD. He added that vigil along the riverine and inaccessible areas was intensified.
On the updating of the NRC, Dr Barman said that it was a complicated process and that the Centre too had a role in expediting the process. �We are ensuring that the Assam portion of the border is adequately protected but illegal Bangladeshis can come through the borders in the neighbouring Meghalaya and Tripura and then enter Assam,� he said.
Dr Barman also revealed that the NRC Directorate had been functioning without a director but that one would be appointed soon.
The Assembly witnessed noisy scenes when the ruling Congress proposed that it would bring in a resolution for a consensus on having March 25, 1971 for updating the NRC. AGP members protested the move, saying that the Assam Accord was very clear on the date and there was no need for having a resolution on the same date. Dr Barman reasoned that a consensus resolution would only strengthen the Assam Accord but AGP members opposed the move as it would be a �totally unnecessary exercise.� AGP president Chandra Mohan Patowary said that the Accord was very clear on the matter which was decided following an all-party meet. �Don�t politicize it by making a new resolution,� he said.
On making Bangladesh accept the deported Bangladeshis from Assam, Dr Barman failed to give a clear answer. He also averted another question raised by Dr Alaka Desai (AGP) who pointed out that the Indira-Mujib pact of 1972 has expired after completion of 20 years.
On the contentious issue of a definition for Assamese wanted in connection with providing Constitutional safeguards for the State�s indigenous people as envisaged under the accord, Dr Barman said that the Government was trying to get a consensus on the matter.
