NEW DELHI, April 25 - The All Assam Students Union (AASU) today reiterated its demand for implementation of the Assam Accord within a specific time-frame during a meeting with Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal here ahead of Wednesday�s tripartite meeting on implementation of the Accord.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is likely to chair the tripartite meet.
Later talking to newsmen, AASU adviser Samujjal Bhattacharya said that the Assam Accord should be implemented in toto within a specific time-frame. AASU�s main focus would be implementation of Clause VI and VII of the Accord, which deals with constitutional safeguard of the indigenous people and economic security, respectively.
The AASU adviser said that they are also going to demand establishment of six new institutes in Assam, which would be headed by competent persons from the State. �We have waited for 31 years for implementation of the Assam Accord and for how long should we have to wait,� he asked.
The Ashok Paper Mill is yet to be revived and the Bogibeel-rail-cum-road bridge, both promised under the Assam Accord, is yet to be completed, he said. �Today we have formally discussed all these issues with the Assam Government,� he added.
Replying to questions, Bhattacharya said that all illegal migrants irrespective of their caste, creed and religion would have to be detected and deported according to the Assam Accord. All those foreigners, who have entered the State after the cut-off date of March 25, 1971, would have to be deported, he reiterated.
Meanwhile, representatives of six ethnic communities demanding scheduled tribe (ST) status also met the Chief Minister at his official residence here today.
The leaders of the six ethnic communities apprised the Chief Minister about the outcome of the tripartite talks on granting of ST status with Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju at his North Block office here yesterday.
Talking to the representatives of the six ethnic communities, the Chief Minister said that the Central and State governments are committed to granting ST status to them. �We are totally committed towards granting ST status to six communities of the State and we are moving in the right direction,� he said.
The leaders must exercise patience and continue to help the governments, both at the State and the Centre, to take the discussion to its logical conclusion, he pleaded.
Sonowal�s initiative to placate the agitating groups came after the tripartite talks chaired by Rijiju concluded on a disappointing note. The representatives of the six communities, voicing their concern over the inordinate delay in submission of the report on ST status, said that they were disappointed with the talks yesterday.
