The Centre has set up a high-level committee to assess the implementation of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord, which mainly insists for the reservation and safe guarding of ethnic Assam population. The major agenda of this move is to assess the quantum of seats to be reserved in the Assam Assembly and local bodies for the Assamese people, besides providing other safeguards.
The high-level committee, to be headed by former Union tourism secretary MP Bezbaruah, was set up as per the Clause 6 of the 1985 Assam Accord, the Home Ministry said. “The committee will assess the appropriate level of reservation of seats in Assam Legislative Assembly and local bodies for the Assamese people.
“The committee will recommend the appropriate level of reservations in employment under the government of Assam for the Assamese people,” the Home Ministry notification said.
This was an election promise of the BJP in 2014. Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal welcomed the constitution of the committee, saying the panel will work to fulfil a long standing demand of the people of Assam to reserve seats in the assembly and local bodies for the indigenous people. “It is a very significant decision which came 35 years after the Assam Accord was signed,” Sonowal said.
The notification said the panel will also hold discussions with various stakeholders, including social organisations, legal and constitutional experts, eminent persons from the field of art, culture and literature, conservationists, economists, linguists and sociologists. It will submit its report within six months from the date of notification (January 5).
Besides, Bezbarauah, a retired IAS officer, the members of the panel are: former IAS officer Subhash Das, Nagen Saikia, former President, Assam Sahitya Sabha, Dhiren Bezbaruah, former editor of The Sentinel, Mukunda Rajbangshi, educationalist, Ramesh Borpatragohain, advocate general of Assam, Rongbong Terang, former president of the Assam Sahitya Sabha, and one representative of the All Assam Students’ Union. The joint secretary in the Home Ministry will be member secretary.
