GUWAHATI, March 3 - Cutting across party lines, members of the Assam Legislative Assembly today opposed any amendment in the Clause 6 of the Assam Accord.
Moving the resolution opposing any kind of amendment in the Clause 6 of the Accord, Congress legislator Abdul Khaleque said that ensuring constitutional safeguard to the indigenous people is a must and at the same time it should also be ensured that no genuine Indian citizen is harassed in the name of detecting and deporting foreigners.
Khaleque also made references to few persons, belonging to Koch Rajbangshi and tea tribe community, who were allegedly kept in the detention just because they could not produce relevant papers.
Participating in the debate, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Padma Hazarika said that no matter what Assam Accord will have to be implemented in letter and spirit.
�Had we taken the right steps earlier, things like the IMDT Act (now repealed) would never have come to the fore. As Centre is the nodal agency, the State Government (AGP regime) could do very little then. The Congress Government showed very little intent in this regard,� Hazarika told the House.
He further opined that constitutional safeguard to the indigenous Assamese cannot be comprised with and all kinds of apprehensions should be allayed.
�Some administrative and legal moves must be initiated by the State Government as well so that the land and other rights of the indigenous people are not hijacked by a foreigner,� Hazarika said.
All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) legislator Aminul Islam that the composite structure of the Assamese society must remain intact in the greater interest of Assam and Assamese.
�There should be a realistic approach without any prejudices,� Islam said.
AGP legislator Brindaban Goswami also expressed views on similar lines.
