Political blunder

Sir — This refers to the editorial, “Citizenship rights” (August 1). The Assam Accord was concluded on August 14, 1985, by the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and the Assam  Student Union, headed by Prafull Mahant on the issue of illegal immigrants, especially from Bangladesh, which outnumbered the native population of the State. 

Among other points mentioned in the Accord, the most prominent provision is that illegal immigrants, who penetrated into India after March 24,   1971, must not be considered for citizenship.

After the preparation and publication of the The National Register of Citizens (NRC) draft, it was revealed that 40 lakh illegal immigrants are residing in Assam. It was a monumental folly and monstrous blunder of both the Assam and Union Government not to implement the Accord at the lapse of 33 years. Had it been implemented soon after the conclusion of Accord, there wouldn’t have been any opposition.

The Opposition, the Left liberals and self-proclaimed activists, who have fiercely opposed the NRC, would have not lodged any protest against the NRC which left out 40 lakh illegal immigrants, judging the then tense and pr-ovocative situation in the State. Showing humanity to absorb them is against our national security and interest.