NEW DELHI: The Indian government, the State government of Assam and the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) agreed to implement the Assam accord in a time-bound manner.
Details for undertaking various activities related to the clauses of the Assam Accord were agreed upon daring tripartite discussion, which had begun Tuesday, an official spokesman told newsmen here.
The AASU and the state government had submitted a proposal for implementation of clause six of the accord regarding safeguards to be provided to “protect, preserve and promote cultural, social and linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people.”
The Assam accord, signed in August 1988, marked the end of a violent period, when the agitators, mainly the all AASU, demanded the ouster of settlers in the state and removal of their names from the state’s electoral rolls with effect from January 1966. They rejected the center’s proposal of 1971 as the cut-off date.
As per the accord, reached by former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi with the agitators, now in power in the state as the Asom Gana Parishad party (AGP), 1966 has been taken as the base date for identifying the foreigners.
All those who entered the state after the base date up to March 24, 1971, would be detected in accordance with the provisions of foreigner’s act 1939 and their names deleted from the electoral rolls.
However, on expiry of 10 years following the date of detection, the names of such persons deleted from the electoral rolls would be restored.
Those expelled earlier and who re-entered the state illegally would be expelled, the accord said.
Home minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Assam chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mohanta had a separate meeting later, in which the progress of the implementation of the Assam accord and the tripartite discussion were reviewed.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 2, 1990
