AGP backs anti-bill groups, JD-U throws behind protesters
TNN | Jan 22, 2019, 10:39 ISTGUWAHATI: BJP’s former ally Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) has extended support to 70 organizations that are opposing the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, while BJP ally JD(U) is set to visit Guwahati on January 28 to express solidarity with the anti-bill agitators.
“We are for a unified movement against the citizenship bill. Everyone is committed to stop the bill from being ratified,” said AGP president Atul Bora.
Bora added that that his party also extended support to All Assam Students’ Union (Aasu)’s anti-bill rally here on January 23. AGP has also announced 10-hour hunger strike here on January 24. KMSS adviser Akhil Gogoi termed AGP’s withdrawal from the ruling BJP coalition in Assam a historic moment for the “sake of the state”.
“As AGP is a main regional party of Assam and we want them to stick to the anti-citizenship bill movement honestly. We always have been advocating a joint and vigorous movement to thwart the plans of the BJP-led government. Meeting the AGP leaders was a step to strengthen solidarity to achieve our goal at this hour of crisis,” he said.
Lashing out at chief minister, Sarbananda Sonowal and cabinet minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Akhil alleged that formation of a high-level committee by the Centre recently to look into the implementation of the Clause 6 of the Assam Accord is nothing but a ‘treachery’ of the ruling BJP to “douse the fire” ignited by the anti-citizenship bill stir across the state.
“We want constitutional safeguards in the wake of influx, but this deceitful tactics to deceive the people of Assam by forming a committee is unacceptable. In fact, they (union government) does not want to give constitutional safeguard to us. Had the union government was serious on providing constitutional safeguard by implementing Clause 6 of the Assam Accord, they would have brought a legislation in the Parliament instead of forming a committee. We don’t want constitutional safeguard at the cost of citizenship bill,” said Akhil.
Clause 6 of the Assam Accord, signed after the six-year-long anti-foreigners’ movement (1979-85) envisages that appropriate constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards, shall be provided to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people.
“We are for a unified movement against the citizenship bill. Everyone is committed to stop the bill from being ratified,” said AGP president Atul Bora.
Bora added that that his party also extended support to All Assam Students’ Union (Aasu)’s anti-bill rally here on January 23. AGP has also announced 10-hour hunger strike here on January 24. KMSS adviser Akhil Gogoi termed AGP’s withdrawal from the ruling BJP coalition in Assam a historic moment for the “sake of the state”.
“As AGP is a main regional party of Assam and we want them to stick to the anti-citizenship bill movement honestly. We always have been advocating a joint and vigorous movement to thwart the plans of the BJP-led government. Meeting the AGP leaders was a step to strengthen solidarity to achieve our goal at this hour of crisis,” he said.
Lashing out at chief minister, Sarbananda Sonowal and cabinet minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Akhil alleged that formation of a high-level committee by the Centre recently to look into the implementation of the Clause 6 of the Assam Accord is nothing but a ‘treachery’ of the ruling BJP to “douse the fire” ignited by the anti-citizenship bill stir across the state.
“We want constitutional safeguards in the wake of influx, but this deceitful tactics to deceive the people of Assam by forming a committee is unacceptable. In fact, they (union government) does not want to give constitutional safeguard to us. Had the union government was serious on providing constitutional safeguard by implementing Clause 6 of the Assam Accord, they would have brought a legislation in the Parliament instead of forming a committee. We don’t want constitutional safeguard at the cost of citizenship bill,” said Akhil.
Clause 6 of the Assam Accord, signed after the six-year-long anti-foreigners’ movement (1979-85) envisages that appropriate constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards, shall be provided to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people.
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