AASU stages protests across Assam during PM Modi's visit

The All Assam Students' Union (AASU) Monday staged protests across the state against the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and demanded immediate implementation of Clause 6 of Assam Accord.

AASU members organised sit-ins at several places and waved black flags in dozens of towns across the state as Modi paid a visit to the poll-bound state for the third time in a month.

Protests were staged in Guwahati, Morigaon, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Lakhimpur, Naharkatia, Sonari, Tezpur, Nalbari, Bongaigaon and many other places to oppose the visit of Modi, who addressed a public rally at Silapathar in Dhemaji district.

AASU general secretary Sankor Jyoti Baruah alleged that Modi has been playing with the emotions of the Assamese people since 2014 by making false promises to them.

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"Dhemaji is one of the worst affected districts of Assam in floods every year. However, the prime minister never visited to enquire the peoples' problems due to the floods. Today he came to ask for votes only," he added.

AASU president Dipanka Kumar Nath slammed the government's inaction regarding implementation of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord.

"When the Centre formed the High Level Committee (HLC) on Clause 6, the government had promised to implement it in letter and spirit within one week of receipt of the report. However, no action has been taken yet," he added.

The Centre had formed the committee headed by Justice Biplab Sharma on July 16, 2019. It submitted its report to Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal in February 2020.

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On February 17, Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said the government cannot implement the recommendations of the Centre's committee on Clause 6 of Assam Accord as those are "far from legal reality" of this land.

As per Clause 6 of the Assam Accord, constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards, as may be appropriate, shall be provided to protect, preserve and promote the culture, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people.

Modi has addressed three public rallies at Sivasagar, Dhekiajuli and Silapathar in Assam since January 23 as part of official functions to roll out various schemes and projects.

The prime minister on Monday digitally dedicated to the nation three petroleum sector projects in different parts of Assam, inaugurated an engineering College in Dhemaji and laid the foundation of another at Sualkuchi.