Author: Kishalay Bhattacharjee
Publication: NDTV
Date: May 10, 2003
http://www.ndtv.com/morenews/showmorestory.asp?slug=Bandh+in+Assam+over+repeal+of+IMDT+Act&id=37897URL:
The Cabinet decision to repeal the
controversial Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunals) Act (IMDT),
1983 in Assam has already raised political temperatures. Minority organisations
have called for a statewide bandh opposing this decision.
But it's celebration time for the
BJP in Guwahati, accused for the last four years of giving up the hard
line it took against the influx of illegal immigrants into Assam. The party
carried out a procession in the city on Friday, welcoming the Union Cabinet's
decision to scrap the IMDT Act.
The BJP says the Act protects illegal
immigrants from legal action and that the Congress should not be a stumbling
block when the government tries to scrap the 20-year-old law.
However, Congress Spokesperson Silvious
Condopan, said, "By opposing the repeal of the IMDT Act our party in the
state and in the Centre is not going against the Assamese people. Congress
is not doing votebank politics."
On the other side, the minority
organisations are worried. Their bandh call, they say, is only the beginning
of a series of protest programmes against the repeal of the Act.
Mohd Keramat Ali, Editor, Saptahik
Mujahid, said, "Our reaction is that IMDT is for the protection of the
Indian minorities. There will be such a reaction as minorities will feel
threatened. There will be communal tension."
Watching on closely is the All Assam
Students Union, which 20 years back had led a massive anti-foreigners agitation.
Once again, the politics of infiltration
is centrestage in Assam.
