Students agitation against implementation of Assam Accord’s Clause 6 growing bigger in Silchar

More and more students are hitting the roads as the protest against the implementation of Clause 6 of Assam Accord continues in Silchar. Today, students of Gurucharan College, Cachar College and Narshing School joined hands to demonstrate against the implementation of Assam Accord’s Clause 6. Along with it, the students also questioned the State and Central Government on its stand on Hindus and their citizenship.

Subhashish Choudhury, a student leader posted on Facebook, “Combined effort by Gurucharan College, Cachar College and Narshing School students against the implementation of Clause 6 of Assam Accord and to implement the Joint Notification of GOI, declared in september 2015 which was applicable in all over India but not in Assam. Also asked to revoke article 371 from North East, only if the govt has the courage to do so.”

While speaking to the media, Choudhury said that the Home Minister of the country is playing a “double game” and the party is following “double standards”. He said, “Amit Shah and other BJP leaders travel around the country and say all Hindus are Indians and no one will be denied citizenship. However, when they come to Assam they do not say that, instead Amit Shah calls us termites. This exposes the double standard of the party.”

Choudhury went on to add that the State and Central government do not care about Bengali Hindu sentiments in Assam and that was clear with the Central committee it formed to oversee the implementation of Clause 6 of Assam Accord. “Not a single Bengali is there in the committee, it shows how much respect they have for the Bengali sentiments,” he added.

The clause 6 of Assam Accord states, “Constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards, as may be appropriate shall be provided to protect, preserve and promote the culture, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people.” Choudhury said, he believes if the clause is implemented it will bring an existential crisis for the people of Barak Valley.

Choudhury also took a jibe at the various socio-cultural organisations and said the members of those organisations are “opportunistic” and only protest for “lime-light”. He said that at a time when Barak Valley is heading towards it doom, such organisations which are filled with the upper-middle class section of the society is waiting and watching. “Normally, when anything happens you will see a huge number of people hitting the roads and speaking with the media. But when it comes to this issue, neither them nor their children are actively participating in any protest. They just want the limelight,” he added.

The students of all three institutions signed and submitted a memorandum to the PMO through Deputy Commissioner Cachar’s office. They said that they do not belong to any students association and are representing the student community.