Almost a year after the high-level committee on Clause 6 of the Assam Accord tabled its report before the state government, the report is still to reach the Centre.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS:

=> A high level committee was constituted to examine the effectiveness of the steps taken since 1985 and required to be taken for the implementation of clause 6 of the Assam Accord.

=> As informed by the state government, the committee held 36 meetings. The committee submitted its report to the state government. The recommendations are under examination of the state government.

=> The All Assam Students’ Union (Aasu), one of the prime signatories to the 1985 accord, has been criticizing the BJP-led government at the Centre and the state for their alleged lackadaisical attitude towards the recommendations and delaying its implementation.

=> The all-important Clause 6 seeks provisions for granting constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people.

=> Aasu and several other organizations have been protesting, alleging that successive governments have failed to implement Clause 6 in letter and spirit even after the passage of 35 years since the accord was signed between Aasu, now-defunct All Assam Gana Sangram Parishad, the Assam government and the Centre to bring to an end the six-year anti-foreigner movement (1979-85) in Assam.

=> Only those people who were residing in Assam on or before January 1, 1951, and their descendants would be eligible for Constitutional safeguard.