Nilay Dutta wants Clause VI committee report in public domain

Nilay Dutta, member of the high powered Clause VI committee want that the Committee members should release the recommendations in the public domain for the sake of transparency and remove misinformation in this regard.

As a member of the HPC on Clause 6 of Assam Accord, i have noted with serious concern that completely misinformed and speculative discussions r going on in public domain on the recommendations of the Committee. This is the result of not placing the report in public domain.

— Nilay Dutta (@nilaydutta) March 1, 2020

This morning he tweeted urging all the members. So far the reports are with the Union Home Ministry and the exact nature of recommendations are not in the public domain.

I have therefore today requested all members of the Committee to agree to release the report in public domain in the interest of transparency and for an informed discussion on the actual recommendations made therein.

— Nilay Dutta (@nilaydutta) March 1, 2020

Mr Dutta rued that due to non-availability of the content of the reports in the public domain,  that there was a lot of misinformation while the committee had given series of recommendations in regard to constitutional protection for the indigenous people, especially the matter related to land, which is completely a state subject.

Be it clear that over and above political rights on seat in Assembly and reservations on jobs , there r wide ranging powerful recommendations on development of indigenous languages, culture and heritage as well as issues on reforms in land policy.

— Nilay Dutta (@nilaydutta) March 1, 2020

The high-powered committee that the Centre constituted in July 2019 for the implementation of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord of 1985 submitted its report to the State's Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday.

Barring three leaders of the All Assam Students' Union (AASU), all the members of the panel headed by retired former Gauhati High Court Biplab Kumar Sarma were present at the event.

Clause 6 envisages constitutional, legislative and administrative measures to safeguard, protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people. It also seeks to ascertain who fits into the definition of an Assamese.