GUWAHATI: Even as the ruling BJP has set ‘identity of indigenous people’ as its agenda for the upcoming Assam assembly elections, its main challenger, the newly formed Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), has chosen to take a liberal approach on the issue of sub-nationalism with a focus on taking the youths of the state on the path to productivity and bringing an end to the practice of creating beneficiaries by previous governments.
“Identity protection is the basic instinct of human beings but regionalism goes beyond religious boundaries,” AJP president Lurinjyoti Gogoi said. He added that the state needs to discard the communal forces and form a more healthy society where the idea of regionalism is only a geographical entity.
Born out of people’s anger against Citizenship (Amendment) Act, AJP stands strongly opposed to the implementation of the law in the state. The Centre is yet to set the rules of implementation of the CAA.
“We will not allow CAA to be implemented in Assam if we come to power,” Gogoi said.
He said that immigrants who came into Assam between 1951 and 1971 have no reasons to live in fear of losing their citizenship. “They all have been accepted as Indian citizens by the Assam Accord and so they need not have any fear. They will continue to be Indian citizens.”
He added, “1951 will be the cut-off date only for implementation of the Clause 6 of the Assam Accord, which provides for political reservation for indigenous people.”
“Our objective will be to end this practice of creating beneficiaries. The present state government did not create beneficiaries all this while but is doing so only now when the polls are near. The money [it is distributing] is public money and so we are telling the beneficiaries that take the money that you deserve but do not sell your conscience,” he said.
Pitted against BJP, AJP, which will be making its electoral debut, is aiming to catch the attention of the young voters of the state. “Our aim is to take the youths on the path of productivity and in the process enhance our human resource base,” Gogoi said.
“We want to build the confidence of our youths when they decide to step out of their homes to set up their own business or sit for national competitive examinations,” Gogoi said.
He added, “What we are saying is that when we come to power, we will give Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 to each of these youths to take their first step on the path to productivity. For instance, if someone wants to set up a piggery and wants to join a training course, this money will help him/her. Or when a youth wants to sit for the civil services or any other central service exam and needs to join the coaching classes, this amount will come in handy.”