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Regular-article-logo Thursday, 25 April 2024

Make report on Clause 6 of the Assam Accord public, says panel member

The committee had submitted its report to chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on February 25

Rokibuz Zaman Guwahati Published 02.03.20, 06:53 PM
Sarbananda Sonowal

Sarbananda Sonowal Picture by UB Photos

Nilay Dutta, one of the members of the high-powered committee on Clause 6 of the Assam Accord, has requested all members of the committee to release the report in the public domain in the interest of transparency.

Dutta, who is also the advocate-general of Arunachal Pradesh, expressed his concern in a series of tweets on the “completely misinformed and speculative discussions” on the recommendations of the committee.

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“As a member of the HPC on Clause 6 of Assam Accord, I have noted with serious concern that completely misinformed and speculative discussions are going on in public domain on the recommendations of the committee. This is the result of not placing the report in public domain,” Dutta tweeted on Monday morning.

“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,” he said in another tweet.

Clause 6 of the Assam Accord, which was signed in 1985 after a six-year anti-foreigner movement, said, “Constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards, as may be appropriate, shall be provided to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people.”

The high-powered committee on Clause 6 of the Assam Accord had submitted its report to chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on February 25.

The Centre constituted the 14-member high-powered committee in July 2019 to suggest how to implement Clause 6. Its report, finalised on February 10, has been with the Assam Accord implementation department since then.

Dutta said the report has wide-ranging powerful recommendations on the development of indigenous languages, culture and heritage, apart from the political rights on seats in Assembly and reservations on jobs.

“Be it clear that over and above the political rights on seat in Assembly and reservations on jobs, there are wide-ranging powerful recommendations on development of indigenous languages, culture and heritage as well as issues on reforms in land policy,” he said in his third tweet.

Dutta also mentioned senior cabinet minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal in his last tweet.

“There are no impediments in implementing such linguistic, and cultural safeguards immediately. Moreover land and its reforms is exclusively a state subject @himantabiswa @sarbanandsonwal,” he said.

Committee chairman Biplab Kumar Sarma, a former judge of Gauhati High Court, had said they had held discussions with different stakeholders and gone through over 1,200 representations they had received to prepare a “comprehensive” report.

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