GUWAHATI, Sept 22 - After receiving very positive response from cross sections of organizations and individuals, the committee for suggesting measures for implementation of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord has decided to extend the deadline for submitting it till October 5.
Clause 6 of the Assam Accord provides for giving constitutional safeguard to the �Assamese people�. The Government of India has constituted a committee headed by Justice (Retired) Biplab Sarma to suggest measures for the implementation of that vital clause of the Accord.
Sources in the Committee told The Assam Tribune that in response to the appeal made by the Committee seeking suggestions from cross sections of people, over 400 organizations and individuals including literary bodies of tribal and ethnic groups submitted their suggestions. Though September 20 was the last day for receiving suggestions, the Committee decided to extend the same till October 5 so that �we can receive as many suggestions as possible from all over the State.�
Sources revealed that the Committee would give due importance to the suggestions received before finalizing its report to be submitted to the Government of India. The next meeting of the committee will be held on October 11 and before that copies of the suggestions received would be circulated among the members. The committee also decided to consult legal and constitutional experts.
Sources said that today�s meeting also discussed the deliberations held between the Central and State Governments and the All Assam Students� Union (AASU) since the signing of the Assam Accord on the issue of implementation of Clause 6. The committee tried to examine the issues relating to implementation of the Clause including the demands for reservation of seats in Assembly, Parliament and local bodies for indigenous people of the state and job reservation as those issues were discussed in detail earlier when a tripartite sub committee comprising representatives of Central and State governments and the students� body was formed to examine issues relating to implementation of Clauses 6 and 7 of the Accord.
The Joint Secretary (North East) of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), who is the member secretary of the Committee, did not attend today�s meeting. In the previous meeting also, the Central Government was represented by an officer of the rank of Deputy Secretary and today the Centre was not represented.
Meanwhile, talking to The Assam Tribune after the meeting, AASU Chief Adviser Samujjal Bhattacharya asserted that the political and other powers must be rested with the indigenous people and that is why proper implementation of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord is a must.
