Govt forms panel to enforce Clause 6 of Assam Accord

Guwahati: In what is said to be an attempt to pacify the ongoing agitation against citizenship bill, the central government on Sunday constituted a high-level committee under the chairmanship of retired IAS officer of Assam cadre M P Bezbaruah for implementation of Clause 6 of Assam Accord signed on August 15, 1985.

The clause seeks to provide constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social and linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people.

The committee, notified on Saturday, comprises other eminent persons from Assam such as former IAS officer Subhash Das, two former presidents of Assam Sahitya Sabha Nagen Saikia and Rongbong Terang, former editor of The Sentinel Dhiren Bezbaruah, educationalist Mukunda Rajbangshi, advocate general of Assam Ramesh Borpatragohain and one representative of the All Assam Students Union (AASU).

A joint secretary in the home ministry, most likely from its Northeast division, will be member-secretary of the panel.

The panel, which has been given a broad mandate, will be required to submit its report within six months. The clause 6 of the Assam Accord states: “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”.

According to terms of reference, the Bezbaruah committee will examine the effectiveness of actions taken since 1985 to implement Clause 6 of the Assam Accord.

The panel will 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.

The committee will assess the appropriate level of reservation of seats in Assam Legislative Assembly and in local bodies for the Assamese people.