Clause VI report handed over to Sonowal

Clause VI panel today formally handed over the report to the Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal who on behalf of the Ministry of Home Affairs received in presence of other members of the colleagues.

The state government was in a piquant position as the Union Home Ministry showed no mood to receive the report putting Mr Sonowal and his colleagues into a huge embarrassment. the MHA is reportedly unhappy over the functioning of the Committee.

The situation was salvaged when Union home Minister Amit Shah related and asked Mr Sonowal to accept the report. The MHA is miffed at the report as they found some of the suggestion untenable.

The AASU, however, today skipped the ceremony as they held Mr Sonowal as responsible for the ongoing mess for the CAA.

Later briefing the newsmen, Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that since the report was sealed and a copy was not given to Assam Government it would be premature to discuss the content of the report.

"We will await instruction from the Home Ministry which will scrutinise the report. For the definition of Assamese the matter will come back to the Assam Assembly where it will be discussed and passed" said Mr Sharma.

However, it was apparent that despite the high sentiments back home in Assam, the MHA is not very happy with the overall recommendations and the member secretary of the Committee Mr Satyendra Garh did not sign the report and avoided the committee meetings.

The committee was formed in July 2019 and given six months tosubmit its report. The deadline was later extended by one month.

The Committee was given the task to examine the effectivenessof actions since 1985 to implement Clause 6 of the Assam Accord.  The Committee was asked to hold discussionswith all the stakeholders and assess the required quantum of reservation ofseats in the Assam Legislative Assembly and the local bodies for the Assamesepeople.

The Committee was also asked to assess the requirement ofmeasures to be taken to protect Assamese and other indigenous languages ofAssam, the quantum of reservation in employment under Government of Assam andother measures to protect, preserve and promote cultural, social, linguisticidentity and heritage of Assamese people.