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Kokrajhar, Aug. 10: The AGP today blamed the Centre for failing to implement the Assam Accord and Dispur for failing to protect the property and lives of the indigenous people.
AGP president and former chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, who visited relief camps here today, told reporters that certain clauses of the accord could be implemented only by the Union home ministry and not the state government. “The Centre has failed to implement these clauses even after two decades,” he added.
The Assam Accord was signed on August 15, 1985 after the Assam Agitation (1979-85) against illegal migrants.
Mahanta, who had led the movement and was a signatory to the accord, said the government could not deport illegal migrants to Bangladesh for want of a bilateral treaty. He criticised the Centre for not taking up the issue of deportation with Bangladesh though it had signed a land deal with it recently.
“There should be bilateral talks between India and Bangladesh to take up the issue of illegal migrants in Assam,” he said. He added that pressure should be put upon the Centre to implement the clauses of the Assam Accord in true spirit.
Mahanta also alleged that the state government was transferring agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes. He said the AGP government had passed a law on not transferring agricultural land but the present government had changed it to help grab land belonging to indigenous people for industrial purposes.
Mahanta, who arrived here today with other party leaders, called for mutual trust among communities, peace and harmony. He also called upon political organisations to come together and work for peaceful resolution of the problem. He urged the government to ensure law and order, proper rehabilitation of and security for the displaced.
After visiting relief camps in Chirang and Kokrajhar, he visited three relief camps in Lakhiganj High School, Rokakhata Higher Secondary School and Borkanda Peoples Academy Higher Secondary School in Bilasipara subdivision of Dhubri district. He assured the camp inmates that he would raise their grievances at the appropriate level. He will stay overnight in Dhubri.
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