In manifesto, AGP says it sticks to ‘old stand’ on citizenship bill
Prabin Kalita | TNN | Apr 10, 2019, 04:38 IST
Guwahati: Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), which is contesting its second Lok Sabha election as an ally of BJP, on Tuesday released its manifesto, which bears several similarities with the manifestos of its partner BJP and rival Congress.
The region’s biggest regional party, after being in power in the state twice in the past, is contesting just three of 14 seats in the state as it struggles to regain its past glory in the Lok Sabha polls. The party could not win a single seat in 2014.
The manifesto that was released at the party’s birthplace at Golaghat, only stated that the party would stick to its old stand taken on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, without stating in so many words that it opposes the contentious bill. Soon after it had returned to NDA fold, AGP had said it has chosen to “fight from within” on issues important to Assam.
Like Congress and BJP, AGP also promised that they would strive for implementation of the Clause 6 of the Assam Accord, which provides for constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards to culture, language, identity and heritage of the indigenous people of the state.
Like the two national parties, the regional party also promised it to press for tribal status to the six indigenous communities of Assam.
Similar to Congress, AGP also promised to press for special status for Assam. This issue is one of the most significant ones for Congress in northeast, which has been attacking BJP for withdrawing the status.
The regional party has also promised that it will demand that the Centre introduce two army regiments, named after Mahabir Lachit Borphukan and Mahabir Chilarai, and that preference be given to youths from the region for recruitment in the two regiments. It also promised that it would demand employment generation and also demand 100% reservation for local youths in all central PSUs and MNCs operating in the state.
The party assured that it would work for better security, electric connectivity, education, health benefits, better road conditions for the people living in the state’s inter-state and international border areas. The party said that it would demand special packages for tea tribe communities.
The party manifesto also stated that it would demand that the Centre introduce strong disaster management support.
The region’s biggest regional party, after being in power in the state twice in the past, is contesting just three of 14 seats in the state as it struggles to regain its past glory in the Lok Sabha polls. The party could not win a single seat in 2014.
The manifesto that was released at the party’s birthplace at Golaghat, only stated that the party would stick to its old stand taken on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, without stating in so many words that it opposes the contentious bill. Soon after it had returned to NDA fold, AGP had said it has chosen to “fight from within” on issues important to Assam.
Like Congress and BJP, AGP also promised that they would strive for implementation of the Clause 6 of the Assam Accord, which provides for constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards to culture, language, identity and heritage of the indigenous people of the state.
Like the two national parties, the regional party also promised it to press for tribal status to the six indigenous communities of Assam.
Similar to Congress, AGP also promised to press for special status for Assam. This issue is one of the most significant ones for Congress in northeast, which has been attacking BJP for withdrawing the status.
The regional party has also promised that it will demand that the Centre introduce two army regiments, named after Mahabir Lachit Borphukan and Mahabir Chilarai, and that preference be given to youths from the region for recruitment in the two regiments. It also promised that it would demand employment generation and also demand 100% reservation for local youths in all central PSUs and MNCs operating in the state.
The party assured that it would work for better security, electric connectivity, education, health benefits, better road conditions for the people living in the state’s inter-state and international border areas. The party said that it would demand special packages for tea tribe communities.
The party manifesto also stated that it would demand that the Centre introduce strong disaster management support.
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