High-level committee on Clause 6 of Assam Accord finalizes the report

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: The High-level Committee on Clause 6 of the Assam Accord has completed its report, and is now trying to spell out ‘who an Assamese is’.

The extended term of the committee is going to expire on February 15, 2020. The committee is going to submit its report to the MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs) on or before February 15. The 14-member committee was formed by the MHA on July 15, 2019 with respect to Clause 6 of the Assam Accord with retired Justice Biplap Kumar Sarma as its Chairman. The committee had its last meeting at Assam Administrative Staff College on Monday.

Talking to media after the meeting, Justice Sarma said, “After 34 years of signing of the Assam Accord the Central Government formed this high-level committee. We’ve completed our report today, but we’re yet to submit it. We can’t disclose the content of this report before submitting it to whom it has been addressed. However, you’ll know the content of the report soon.”

Justice Sarma added, “We’ve discussed with various ethnic groups, organizations, parties and individuals on what Constitutional safeguards can be given to the Assamese people under the Clause 6 of the Assam Accord. We’ve also given some recommendations and suggestions to safeguard the Assamese people. Based on this report, the suggestions and recommendations have to be implemented.”

Justice Sarma further said, “While preparing the report, we’ve confronted the question – Who is an Assamese? We’re trying to give ‘a decisive definition as to who an Assamese is’.

Talking to the media, AASU (All Assam Students’ Union) adviser-in-chief Samujjal Bhattacharya, one of the members of the high-level committee, said, “Since we’ve shouldered the burden of Hindu and Muslim immigrants from 1951-1971, the Constitutional safeguard is our due according to Clause 6 of the Assam Accord. The report has been prepared after holding discussions with various ethnic groups, organizations and individuals.”

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