GUWAHATI, Jan 6 - Facing public anger over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, the ruling BJP today said that certain parties and organizations who do not want constitutional, legislative and administrative measures for protection of the Assamese people are trying to incite the masses.
Addressing a press conference here today, State BJP spokesperson Mominul Aowal said that more than 33 years have passed since the historic Assam Accord was signed.
�However, Clause 6 of the Accord is yet to be implemented. Now the Union government has formed a high-level committee to look into the implementation of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord of 1985 that provides for constitutional guarantees to protect the State�s indigenous communities. We hope AASU, which spearheaded the six-year-long Assam Agitation, will welcome the formation of the committee and make suggestions and contributions to it,� Aowal said.
He added, �It is unfortunate that the forces which had opposed the Assam Agitation and who have been on the forefront since the time of Independence to provide shelter and protection to illegal immigrants are now protesting on the streets against the Citizenship Bill. We hope that AASU will not stand alongside such organizations and parties.�
Aowal said that indigenous communities of Assam should get the same protection which the locals in states like Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh are getting.
�Some forces do not want the indigenous communities of Assam to dominate the politics, society and economy of Assam. They do not want a situation to emerge in which the constitutional, legislative and administrative measures to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of Assam�s indigenous communities are implemented. Such forces are now inciting the people,� said the BJP leader.
He added that regional party, AGP, which was in power in Dispur for two terms, did not take any steps to implement Clause 6 of the Assam Accord during its tenure in office.
Aowal also accused the Congress party of �sponsoring� organizations which are now protesting against the BJP government on the issue of the Bill.
The BJP leader also called upon the AASU leadership to release a �white paper� regarding steps taken by the student body since 1985 for implementation of the Assam Accord.
He also asked AASU to make its stand clear regarding earlier amendments to the Citizenship Act. Aowal said that previous amendments, including in 1986, 1992 and 2003, had facilitated over one crore people to get Indian citizenship. �What does AASU have to say about those amendments?� Aowal said.
