NEW DELHI, May 7 ? Taking umbrage at the inordinate delay in solving the infiltration problem suffered by Assam, speakers today suggested that the Centre should be put on notice on the issue and All Assam Students Union (AASU) should seriously consider reviving the anti-foreigners agitation. A two-day national seminar on ?Infiltration of Illegal Foreigners in Assam and IMDT Act and Flood, Erosion and Economy of Assam? organized by AASU today saw former Primer Minister, HD Deve Gowda, Minister of State for Home Affairs, ID Swami, eminent journalist Kuldip Nayar besides several MPs belonging to a cross section of parties express dismay at the continuation of the IMDT Act besides non-implementation of the Assam Accord.
The first day was confined to discussion on the infiltration problem with AASU striking a tough stand. They clarified that they have waited long enough. ?The purpose of organizing the seminar is to find out what we should now. Shall we continue with the non-violent movement?? AASU adviser Samujjal Bhattacharyya asked, setting the tone of the seminar. ?For 17 years we have been waiting and now time has come for us to ask whether is it only our duty to plead for solving the problem,? he wondered. Conceding that it was major problem, the Minister of State for Home said the unabated infiltration from across the border not only poses a danger of changing the demographic profile of Assam but it has become a grave threat to internal security. He said there was not much difference between internal and external security.
?In fact the dividing line between internal and external security has been obliterated because of the ISI involvement and the danger to internal security has increased manifold,? he opined. ?That the illegal immigration has come to stay is unfortunate. It has become a very big problem and it is no longer a problem of Assam but is a problem for the nation,? the Minister said, giving a brief account of the anti-infiltration measures like border fencing and tight vigilance being taken by the Centre. But it was on the issue of repealing the IMDT Act that he appeared to be on uneasy ground. He reiterated the NDA Government?s opposition to the Act but expressed his Government?s helplessness on the issue saying that the case was pending in the Supreme Court. ?I can assure that Government of India has made its stand clear ? it is highly discriminatory.?
?Government of India is unequivocal and unambiguous that this Act should go,? he asserted, adding that the Act had no meaning, as it is applicable in only one State. ?Days are not far when we will get the Act repealed?, he asserted, in the face of pleas for convening a joint session of Parliament to repeal the Act. Interestingly the Minister appealed to the Assamese society in general and the intellectual in particular to stand up and take a stand on the issue. The society has to stand up and face the situation pleading that Bangladeshi nationals should not be engaged. The society has to take a stand on the issue, he said.
Inaugurating the seminar, former Prime Minister Deve Gowda congratulated the AASU for having kept the issue alive and said that the primary concern was to create confidence among the people. He said that the problem was restoring the confidence of the people on the Union Government because the feeling of step-motherly treatment being meted out to the people was well entrenched. He said when the development activities does not commensurate with the aspirations of the people, youth generally goes astray. ?That is why we had tried to ensure that development activities does not remain confined to paper and barring one or two major projects all had been sanctioned,? he said, recalling his visit to the North-East.
On the foreigners movement he complimented AASU for not letting the issue die. He suggested that the AASU should carry on with its struggle. ?When the Centre will realize that it cannot take a different view then it will come around,? he added. Exhorting AASU to serve an ultimatum to the Centre to implement the Assam Accord and solve the foreigners problem, eminent journalist and MP, Kuldip Nayar said that time has come for people to decide what to do in the future. He suggested that the people should force the Government to implement the Assam Accord because it was Assam that was suffering.
He also expressed his disappointment with a section of AGP leaders, though he did not name it. ?My disappointment was that the very people who led the agitation when they came to power became part of the power. Now it is a fight for chair, post and portfolio,? he said. Dr Arun Kumar Sarma, Prassana Patani BJD MP, Sanjay Paswan, Prof Atul Sarma addressed the seminar among others, while Yogesh Chandra Bhuyan presented a paper. Prof Sanajaoba Singh conducted the seminar and president and general secretary of AASU Prabin Boro and Amiya Bhuyan presented AASU?s stand.