No cut-off date required, says Janagosthiya Samannay Parishad, Asom

‘Safeguard groups hit by infiltrators’

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: The Janagosthiya Samannay Parishad, Asom (JSPA), a conglomerate of 21 indigenous Muslim communities of Asam, has raised the demand that the ethnic communities of Assam that have been bearing the brunt because of infiltrators, especially Muslim infiltrators, should be given direct constitutional safeguards under Clause 6 of the Assam Accord.

Talking to The Sentinel on Wednesday, Janagosthiya Samannay Parishad chief convener Muminul Aowal, who is also the chairman of the Assam Minority Development Board (AMDB), said, “A number of ethnic communities in Assam have to bear the brunt of infiltrators. They have been suffering politically, socially, culturally and economically. If they’re to be ensured their genuine rights, they need direct Constitutional safeguards. While giving such ethnic communities such safeguards, no cut-off date should be followed as cut-off dates give infiltrators an edge to get the better of the situation in the State. We’ve let the high-level committee on Clause 6 of the Assam Accord know our standpoint. There’s no need of defining the phrase ‘Assamese people’.”

Aowal said, “A survey of the indigenous Muslims of Assam is very important. We’ve appealed to the State government to conduct a survey of Goriya, Moria, Deshi and others. We hope that in 2020, Dispur will conduct such a survey to know the political, social, economic and cultural aspects of the indigenous Muslims in Assam. Such a survey will let the government give them Constitutional safeguards.”

On the lack of political representation of various minority communities in the State who cannot send their representatives to the Assembly through electoral politics, Aowal said, “The formation of an upper House (Assam Legislative Council) is a must.”

Also Read:

Also Watch: Minister Pijush Hazarika rebuts claims of paid crowd at BJP peace rally in Jagi Road