GUWAHATI, April 2 � A delegation of the Axom Jatiya Gana Sangram Parishad (AJGSP) met Governor PB Acharya at the Raj Bhavan here on Tuesday and apprised him of the urgent need for an Indo-Bangladesh repatriation treaty for effective deportation of illegal immigrants from Assam. A detailed memorandum in this regard was submitted to the Governor, seeking his active intervention in the matter as the Constitutional head of the State.
The delegation comprising Dr Aroop Jyoti Kalita, chief convener and other conveners Dr Shyamal Kr Bhuyan, Debajit Adhikari and Dilwar Hussain, apprised the Governor of the burning issue during a discussion which lasted over 30 minutes.
One of the points incorporated in the memorandum was non-implementation of the Assam Accord. �Even after almost 30 years of signing of the historic Assam Accord, the issue of illegal immigration still remains unresolved. The White Paper on Foreigners� Issue released by the Home and Political Department of the Government of Assam on October 20, 2012, clearly shows the rate of push-back/ deportation against the number of persons declared as foreigners by both IM(DT) Tribunals and Foreigners Tribunals, which was a mere 2,442 till July 2012 against a total of 55,184 declared as foreigners.
�Taking into account the developments in most of the advanced countries and their formulation of immigration policies and the repatriation treaties, with the intervention of the United Nations, the Union of India must negotiate with Bangladesh to enter into a treaty for repatriation of those who are detected as immigrants.
�If needed, the help of the universally accepted scientific/medical methodology of DNA tests could also be taken in this regard as per international laws and which is being followed by most of the advanced countries,� stated the memorandum.
The AJGSP delegation also apprised the Governor that the matter had come up for discussion in the recently concluded session of the Assam Legislative Assembly, and the Minister for Assam Accord Implementation had admitted on the floor of the House about the need for a repatriation treaty with Bangladesh for effective deportation of the illegal immigrants.
The AJGSP has also submitted a memorandum to the Speaker of the Assam Legislative Assembly in this regard.
From next week onwards the organisation is launching a statewide information and awareness campaign on the issue for building effective public opinion. Copies of specially printed booklets and leaflets highlighting the urgent need for a repatriation treaty will also be dispatched to all elected Members of Legislative Assembly and Members of Parliament.
