Author: Staff Reporter
Publication: The Sentinel
Date: November 25, 2004
URL: http://www.sentinelassam.com/sentinel_en/archives/nov2504/story4.htm
All Assam Students' Union (AASU)
advisor Samujjal Bhattacharyya today came down heavily on the Prime Minister,
Dr Manmohan Singh for his comment that the IM(DT) Act, 1983 should be implemented
all over India. He said that no 'patriotic Prime Minister' could make such
a comment, and by planning to take such a step, the Government wanted to
fill up India with Bangladeshis and ISI agents.
Talking to The Sentinel today, the
AASU advisor recalled that the West Bengal Chief Minister Bhudhadev Bhattacharyya,
during last his visit to Assam, had made it clear that his Government was
against the implementation of the IM(DT) Act in West Bengal replacing the
Foreigners' Act, and wondered as to with what rationale Dr Singh had advocated
application of this anti-national law throughout the country. "This statement
of the Prime Minister has clearly exposed the Centre's mindset that beyond
Kolkata there is no India," the AASU leader said, adding that despite repeated
pleas, the Centre was not taking steps to reopen the historic Stillwell
Road.
On the Centre's 'Look East Policy',
he said that the AASU had to study the policy document thoroughly before
commenting on it, adding that the Centre always announces lucrative packages
for West Bengal and Bihar, leaving out Assam.
On the proposed tripartite talks
on the Assam Accord, for which the Centre had assured the AASU of inviting
it within three months, he said, besides the IM(DT) repeal and checking
infiltration, the AASU would press for a constitutional safeguard for the
indigenous Assamese. "We have been invited by the PMO after long 20 years,
and hence we will try our best to bring the burning issues of Assam before
the Prime Minister," he said, adding that they had already started the
ground work. He said that AGP MP Sarbananda Sonowal had distributed a paper
on the Government's failure on the Assam Accord, to the MPs in New Delhi
yesterday. He added that the AASU would continue to work as a pressure
group for getting the interests of Assam fulfilled.
On the current peace initiative
with the ULFA taken by Dr Mamoni Raisom Goswami, the AASU leader said that
the Centre should not put any hurdles which might derail the peace process.
