Reactingon the Clause VI meeting held on Monday with the Union Home Minister Amit Shahin New Delhi, All Assam Students' Union (AASU) said that they have not attendedthe meeting as the Centre has brought the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA)into effect.
AASU, who is opposing CAA from the very beginning and has also organized a series of protests since its implementation, said that the foreigners' who have come after 1971 will not be accepted by Assam.
The organization also said that the negotiation between CAA and Assam Accord would not be accepted and that the foreigners' who are in the state from 1951-71 will get constitutional safeguards.
AASUalso threatened the government not to distract the people from the main issue.
Meanwhile,retired Justice Biplab Kumar Sarma, Chairman of the Clause VI Committee toldmedia persons after the meeting with the home minister outside Assam Bhawan thatthe home minister has given some advice on Clause VI. On January 16, the entirecommittee will hold a meeting and will decide on the advice of the Centre.
Ithas come to know from the statement of Sarma that the committee has not beenable to give the exact number of the Assamese.
While asked by reporters regarding the number of Assamese, Sarma said that there is no problem and we all know that who is Assamese. Moreover, Sarma clearly mentioned that in the Assam Accord, the Assamese word is mentioned rather than the indigenous.
While asked whether 1971 will be taken as the base year to identify the number of Assamese, Sarma said that there is a need for discussion on the issue. He said, "The year 1971 is the base year to identify the foreigners. Therefore, a discussion is necessary whether 1971 will be taken as the base year to identify the number of Assamese."
Hefurther stated that the implementation of Clause VI and to submit the report isalso the responsibility of the government.
However,the validity of the committee will come to an end on January 15.
