Guwahati: The Prabajan Virodhi Manch have termed Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s statements on the delimitation process in Assam as false and unsubstantiated.
The Assam CM had earlier stated the delimitation process and its role is safeguarding the identity of indigenous people in the state.
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However, Upamanyu Hazarika, Convenor of Prabajan Virodhi Manch pointed out that delimitation is solely based on population, and multiple independent studies have demonstrated that if the current trend continues, “Bangladeshi migrants” will become the majority in Assam between 2040 and 2051.
He added that the delimitation, therefore, cannot serve as a safeguard to prevent the transformation of existing constituencies into Bangladeshi-majority areas.
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He added, “The Chief Minister’s claim that the Assam Accord, National Register of Citizens (NRC), and Clause 6 safeguards have failed is described as both false and mischievous.
While acknowledging that a significant number of foreigners were included in the NRC, Hazarika state that proper re-verification can rectify this issue.
The statement by Hazarika added that to assert that the Assam Accord, NRC and Clause 6 safeguards have failed is not only false but also mischievous.
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“NRC has not failed as yet, though a large number of foreigners have been included in the NRC, however, proper re-verification of NRC will ensure the exclusion of such foreigners. The outgoing chief coordinator of NRC has in a detailed report set out the manner in which NRC was subverted and the manner in which re-verification has to be carried out”, the statement read.
NRC records are completely digitized and the re-verification will therefore not require a fresh ground exercise.
“Government under Clause 6 of the Assam Accord be a unanimous recommendation or reservation of land, employment, trade licenses etc. only to those whose names are those of their ancestors’ figure in the 1951 NRC. In fact, the present Chief Minister, then a Minister in the Sarbananda Sonowal Government had clearly said on 21.12.2019 that the report of this Committee would be implemented without altering any full stop or comma”, the statement read.
The organisation led by Hazarikia added that the change in the stance of CM Sarma after becoming Chief Minister is “not surprising”.
“Being a Congressman for 20 years after making the opportunistic switch to the BJP, he has always nurtured the migrant Muslim vote bank and all his actions as Minister in the Congress Government and Chief Minister presently have been in favour of such vote bank”, he added.
Hazarika further termed the delimitation process as a clear attempt for the Chief Minister to “try and nullify” the Assam agitation, Assam Accord, Clause 6 and the sacrifice of 855 Martyrs.