Make clause 6 of Assam Accord report public: A member requests others

Guwahati: Nilay Dutta, a member of the high-powered committee on clause 6 of Assam Accord, has requested all other members to agree to make the report public in the interest of transparency so that an informed discussion can take place on the recommendations.
The committee had submitted its report to chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on February 25.

Dutta, who is also advocate general of Arunachal Pradesh, in series of tweet said: “There are no impediments to implementing such linguistic and cultural safeguards immediately. Moreover, land and its reforms is exclusively a state subject.”

Dutta said: “As a member of HPC…, I have noted with serious concern that completely misinformed and speculative discussions are going on in public domain on the recommendations... This is the result of not placing the report in public domain.”

The senior advocate said: “Be it clear that over and above political rights on seat in assembly and reservation in jobs, there are wide-ranging powerful recommendations on the development of indigenous languages, culture and heritage as well as… reforms in land policy”.

The statement comes in the wake of Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s remark that “as Assam is the gateway to northeast India, ILP (innerline permit) cannot be implemented here”. Insiders had earlier hinted that the committee batted for introducing ILP in the state.

Clause 6 of Assam Accord provides constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards to the heritage and cultural, social and linguistic identity of the Assamese people.