Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI: The BJPLP (BJP Legislature Party) has appealed to the Chief Minister to do everything – if need be, by amending the Constitution – to ward off any threat to the Assamese language, literature, and culture from the CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act). The legislature party has reposed faith on Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to make that happen.
The BJPLP met mainly on allaying fear from the Assamese people in the post-CAA phase, in the State Guest House at Kharguli here on Saturday. Talking to the media after the meeting, BJP MLA Padma Hazarika said, “With the CAA becoming a reality there’s a fear that the Assamese language, literature, and culture will be extinct. We’ve appealed to the Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to safeguard the Assamese language, if need be, by bringing in an amendment to the Constitution of India. Likewise, literature and culture can be given constitutional safeguards by implementing Clause 6 of the Assam Accord.”
On the crucial issue of according ST status to the six ethnic communities, Hazarika said, “We’ve appealed to the State government to move the Centre to ensure ST status to the six communities without hampering the existing STs or providing the six ethnic groups autonomous councils.”
On the agitation against the CAA, Hazarika said, “We respect all those who’ve opted to democratic agitation. We’ve urged the government to hold talks with them keeping their dignity intact. We’ve, however, urged the government to deal with miscreants who’ve taken the laws on their own hands and targeted us, with an iron hand. We’ve also appealed to the government to take legal action against people resorting to immodest comments against the CAA in the social media, fomenting unrest.”
On various organizations agitating for genuine demands, the MLA said, “We’ve requested the government to hold talks with such organizations and take measures. We’ve also urged the government to speed up work related to roads, floods, and medical facilities.”
For the development and rehabilitation of unemployed in the State, Clause 7 of the Assam Accord needs to be implemented. “We’ve urged the State Government to hold talks with the Centre to ensure a package for the rehabilitation of unemployed. We’ve also made it a point that all third and fourth-grade posts should be filled up LAC-wise.”
Hazarika further said, “With the Chief Minister assuaging us that no one from outside will take away job opportunities from the local people of Assam, we’re going to dissipate this fear from the people of the State. All BJP workers will also be engaged to allay this fear.”