Assam Accord Implementation: AASU & Govt's joint committee to hold threadbare discussion

KOINADHORA: A key meeting on the 'Assam Accord-1985' was held between Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and representatives of the AASU (All Assam Students' Union) on Tuesday. Minister Atul Bora, who was present at the meeting held in the State Guest House at Koinadhara, disclosed that the CM had suggested the formation of a committee comprising members of the AASU and Assam government officials to hold threadbare discussions to hammer out a solution to the protracted implementation.

"Within 3 months, the committee will submit a report and after that, the Assam government will take concrete steps towards enacting the Assam Accord," said Bora, adding that the committee will also seek to address the problems of flood, as well as border infiltration.

Around 41 leaders of the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) today met Assam government leaders to discuss the implementation of the historic Assam Accord that was signed at the end of a six-year-long agitation.

Minister Pijush Hazarika told scribes that the primary purpose of today's meeting is the "overall development of Assam" and that the stakeholders should be "united" to hammer out a solution.

Minister Atul Bora informed that Clauses 6, 7, 9, 10 of the historic Accord were discussed at the meeting.

Bora also said that the AASU congregation also came up with a few demands -- such as the extension of the samadhi grounds of bard Bhupen Hazarika, reservation of Seats in Assam Universities -- etc.

Although the implementation of the Accord has been a bone of contention between the apex student body and the government, Bora said that today's meeting was largely peaceful.

Significantly, Tuesday's bilateral meeting was scheduled after 16 long years since the last meeting between the Chief Minister of Assam and the AASU on the implementation of the tripartite Assam Accord signed in New Delhi.

The last bilateral discussion on the Accord in the State was held with the then Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on May 2, 2005.

The historically significant tripartite pact was signed by the representatives of AASU, the Government of India and also the Government of Assam. The pact brought to conclusion the six-year-long anti-foreigners movement in the State. More than 860 persons were martyred during this movement.

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