Guwahati, March 24: Notwithstanding symbols of unity that greet visitors and participants at the four-day All Assam Students' Union convention under way at Dudhnoi, reactions of other students' organisations to AASU's role in taking everyone along seem to suggest that the state's leading student body is anything but an "all-inclusive" organisation.

The refrain is common: that the AASU has failed, and miserably so, in highlighting the issues that other indigenous communities have raised over the past decades.

The AASU constituency, it would seem, has shrunk drastically with one community after the other getting off the bandwagon, or, worse, even opposing the once statewide organisation openly.

In line with the recent rejection by sahitya sabhas of various such communities on the definition of "Assamese" as put forward by the Asam Sahitya Sabha, the Karbi Students' Association (KSA) said they are Karbis, not Assamese. "So there is no question of having any association with AASU," KSA president Leeon Engleng told The Telegraph.

 

The All Assam Minorities Students' Union (AAMSU) said most of the student unions of other communities were formed after the six-year anti-foreigners movement in the state from 1979 to 1985. The Assam Accord was signed between the Union government led by Rajiv Gandhi, AASU and others who led the "anti-foreigners" agitation. AAMSU president Abdur Rahim Ahmed said other communities that joined the movement had a bitter experience as "AASU wanted to dominate everyone".

 

"I will not hesitate to say that AASU's chauvinistic attitude had brought a sense of alienation among other communities which is why they floated their own outfits to raise their issues," Ahmed said.

The All Koch-Rajbongshi Students' Union, led by Biswajit Ray, which has rejected the definition of Assamese as proposed by AASU and Asam Sahitya Sabha, echoed AAMSU's stand.

The president of the All-Assam Bengali Youth Students' Federation, Sukumar Biswas, said though the very essence of AASU should have been to include all students of the state, the current plans and actions of the union indicate just the opposite.

"AASU has been focusing on issues such as irregularities in matric examinations, but the real problems faced by the tea community are seldom highlighted on AASU platform," ATTSA president Prahlad Gowala said.

His opposition to AASU is shared by organisations such as the All Tai Ahom Students' Union.

The All Adivasi Students' Association of Assam has appreciated AASU for supporting the community's demand for ST status. The All Moran Students' Union said it is "practically not possible for AASU to highlight each and every problem of different communities".

Additional reporting by Our Bureau