BONGAIGAON, May 17 � The AAMSU organised an intellectual meet at the district library on �NRC update and the definition of Assamese�, on Saturday to discuss various problems and future steps relating to NRC update.
Intellectuals and AAMSU leaders spoke on the topic drawing past geographical and historical references relating to the State.
�Assam is the only State in the country which now needs definition for its people after 66 years. The move is basically to deport the Bangladeshi migrants from the State�, said Baser Ali Ahmed, former vice-president of the student body and a lawyer.
�The Assam Movement only agenda was to chase out Bengali residents, who were the descendants of Dravidians and the indigenous people to undivided India, from the State,� said Sankar Chatterjee, a local retired school teacher and the adviser of Bengali Yuba Chatra Federation.
Chatterjee also warned, �If we the Hindu and Muslim Bengalis get united politically, no political space would remain for leaders to meet their political ambitions�.
AAMSU general secretary, Rezaul Karim Sarkar said that they want an error-free and appropriate NRC update which can include genuine applicants as citizens. His organisation would not sit idle, Sarkar said if any group interferes in the NRC update process
�Finally when our Muslim people, the sons of the soil, feel that they have deprived of their constitutional rights, despite cooperating in the NRC update, our one crore people would be compelled to demand a separate land like some tribal groups and communities in the State and for that our one lakh activists are ready to die as martyrs in the struggle �, said Sarkar.
Dr Nur Zamal, head of the Hindi department in Bongaigaon College, demanded that the student group file a case against those who have been insulting the Muslim people, for the last 60 years, calling them as �Bangladeshi� without having legal proof. He also said that 80% of the State economy depends on Muslim people and if these people stop the supply of vegetables and milk and remain away from menial works for a week, the State would certainly suffer.
According to Dr Zamal, the AAMSU must develop the language and culture of the community like others as the community would need a specified mother tongue, instead of Bengali, to mention in the NRC application forms.
Bhawani Prasad Sarma, Political Science lecturer of Bongaigaon College also spoke on border and immigrant issues.
Azizur Rahman, advocate of Gauhati High Court, explained the legal procedures of the NRC update and guidelines of the apex court in this regard.
