Committee set up by MHA on Assam meets Amit Shah

A high-level committee, set up by Home Ministry to suggest ways for providing constitutional safeguards to indigeus people of Assam, on Monday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and discussed with him issues related to its work.

A four-member delegation of committee, headed by Justice (Retd) Biplab Kumar Sharma, met home minister for an hour and briefed him about progress of its work.

"We have apprised home minister about progress of our work. home minister has given a few suggestions. We hope to submit our final report within next 15 days," Sharma told reporters here.

committee with more than a dozen members was set up as per Clause 6 of 1985 Assam Accord.

According to its terms and conditions, " committee will assess appropriate level of reservation of seats in Assam Legislative Assembly and local bodies for Assamese people."

" committee will recommend appropriate level of reservations in employment under government of Assam for Assamese people," according to a home ministry tification.

Asked wher panel could finalise "definition of Assamese", retired judge said y were yet to take a decision on it and hope to come to a conclusion soon.

"All members of committee will soon meet to finalise report and all remaining issues to be resolved," he said.

meeting took place four days after Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sowal met home minister and discussed with him various aspects of Assam Accord's Clause 6, under which central government had promised to provide constitutional safeguards to indigeus people.

committee is said to have completed its deliberations and discussions with various stakeholders in Assam.

meeting was held amidst widespread protests against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in Assam. It bears significance as re has been a growing feeling among indigeus people of Assam that newly enacted legislation will hurt ir interests — both politically, culturally as well as socially.

Assam Accord provides for detection and deportation of all illegal immigrants, who have entered country after 1971 and living in state, irrespective of ir religion.

According to CAA, members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014, facing religious persecution re will t be treated as illegal immigrants but given Indian citizenship.

protesters in Assam said that CAA violates provisions of Assam Accord. 

(Im Credit: PTI)