Assam’s regional party slams Centre over border security failure; calls for Assam Accord implementation

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaAugust 13, 2024

Assam’s regional party Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), an ally of Congress-led United Opposition Forum (IOF)  on Tuesday criticized the Union government for its failure to fully implement the Assam Accord, signed 39 years ago, labelling the situation as both “unfortunate” and “shameful.”

Addressing a press conference here, AJP president Lurinjyoti Gogoi expressed deep disappointment over the continued neglect of the Accord, which was signed on August 14, 1985, following a six-year mass movement in Assam that resulted in the loss of 855 lives and injuries to thousands.

Gogoi emphasized the significance of the Assam Accord, noting that it was an agreement made by the Indian government, under then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, in response to the strong sentiments of the Assamese people. “It is a matter of great shame for a powerful country like India, which aspires to global leadership, to have failed in fulfilling its promises to the people of Assam for nearly four decades,” Gogoi said.

The AJP also raised concerns about the recent increase in illegal infiltration from Bangladesh, citing media reports and admissions from the Director General of Assam Police regarding the detention of Bangladeshis attempting to enter Assam.

Gogoi highlighted the deteriorating situation along the Indo-Bangladesh border, where barbed wire fences have been destroyed, allowing for the smuggling of goods and cattle as well as illegal immigration.

The party’s criticism extended to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with Gogoi recalling past statements made by senior BJP leaders, including Union home minister Amit Shah and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who had promised to secure the Indo-Bangla border.

The AJP leader pointed out the discrepancies between these assurances and the reality on the ground, as witnessed by AJP members during their visit to the Mankachar border area.

Citing a Supreme Court-appointed commission’s 2015 report and the Union Home Ministry’s 2024 annual report, Gogoi highlighted the fact that significant portions of the Indo-Bangla border remain unsealed, leaving the state vulnerable to illegal infiltration.

The AJP president demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi address these issues in his upcoming Independence Day speech at the Red Fort, calling for the immediate implementation of the Assam Accord, the completion of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) process, and the sealing of the Assam-Bangladesh border.

The AJP’s call for action underscores the ongoing tension and dissatisfaction in Assam regarding the handling of border security and the implementation of long-standing agreements aimed at protecting the state’s interests.