Cabinet nod for clause 6 implementation after 3 years the committee submitted its report
Guwahati, Sept 5: Finally, the Assam government has decided to implement 57 out of the 67 recommendations made in the Justice Biplab Kumar Sarma Committee report on the implementation of Clause 6 of the historic Assam Accord. This move is aimed at providing political safeguards to the Assamese people, ensuring the protection and preservation of their cultural, social, and linguistic identity.
This was resolved at the meeting of the State Cabinet held in Lakhimpur on Wednesday.
The decision marks a significant step towards fulfilling the longstanding demands associated with the Assam Accord, which was originally signed to address the concerns of the Assamese population regarding illegal migration and the preservation of their rights.
The 14-member committee, headed by the High Court judge Biplab Kumar Sarma was set up in 2020 following widespread protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019 to study the implementation of clause 6 of the Assam Accord to grant constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards to the indigenous communities.
The Committee submitted its report on February 25, 2021, to then Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal with a special recommendation for reserving assembly and parliamentary seats for Indigenous people.
“Justice Biplab Sarma’s committee gave the state government has three years to examine the recommendations. A Group of Ministers (GoM) has been formed, which includes leaders from the All Assam Students Union (AASU), to study and determine the ways to implement the recommendations,” Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters after the cabinet meeting on Wednesday night.
“The cabinet carefully analyzed the Justice Biplab Kumar Sarma report, reviewing it point by point and resolved to implement 57 out of the 67 recommendations that fall within the jurisdiction of the state government. To ensure a consensus on these decisions, the Group of Ministers (GoM) will engage in discussions with leaders of the All Assam Students Union (AASU),” Sarma said.
Sarma noted that the state government will address the remaining 10 recommendations from the Justice Biplab Kumar Sarma report by taking them up with the Central government. He mentioned that, of these 10 recommendations, the Centre has already implemented one or two points.
Sarma emphasized that before implementing the recommendations of the Justice Biplab Kumar Sarma report, the state government will need to hold discussions with the people of Barak Valley, as well as the Sixth Schedule areas of Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao, and the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR).
“Aside from Barak Valley, Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao, and the BTR, the recommendations will be implemented in all other parts of the state.” He also said.
Sarma added that the state government is considering measures that go beyond the recommendations of the Sarma Committee to protect the land rights of indigenous people. He announced that the government plans to introduce a bill in the next session of the state assembly specifically aimed at protecting the land rights of Indigenous people across the state.
