By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Guwahati: In a major development, Assam government has decided to give refugee status to the Bangladeshi nationals who have crossed the border fearing persecution in that country. This was decided in a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
The state government will now request the Government of India to frame a policy for granting asylum to the persons who have fled religious persecution and discrimination and taken refuge in India on humanitarian grounds.
This is what BJP was advocating for a long time for the Hindu migrants.
Meanwhile, several organizations and political parties have opposed the move of the state government.
“The meeting has decided that the people who have come to India fearing persecution in Bangladeshi in various means will be given refugee status,” state forest and tourism minister Rockybul Hussain told reporters.
It may be mentioned that Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi had submitted a memorandum to the then Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on April 20, 2012, pleading that Bangladeshi citizens who had to flee due to religious persecution and discrimination at the time of partition should not be treated as foreigners on humanitarian grounds.
The statement assumes significance as Gogoi was cynical about the idea of giving refugee status to the Bengali Hindus as was demanded by the BJP.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been advocating on the issue before the election when he had addressed public rallies in various places of the state.
Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), prime regional party of the state who led anti-foreigners movement in the state in 1985 criticized the step of the government. All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), the apex students’ body of the region also slammed the state government on this. “This is highly condemnable. A foreigner should not be categorized by his religion. We will not let it happen. Every illegal foreigner who have entered the state after 1971 has to leave the state,” AASU advisor Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharyya said.
Char Chapori Sahitya Parishad (CCSP), a literary body of the state also reacted on this. CCSP president Hafiz Ahmed said that Assam is not a dumping ground for the foreigners. “We oppose the decision of the state government. This is a ridiculous decision of the state government to divide the foreigners on the basis of religion,” Ahmed said.
The Cabinet has also affirmed September 1, 2014 as the date for the implementation of National Food Security Act in the State. The scheme would cover more than 2.50 crore beneficiaries.
The Cabinet decided that firm steps should be taken to deal with the prevailing law and order situation and to prevent recurrence of violence in BTAD. As part of security measures, it decided to set up fixed police pickets in the vulnerable areas.
It also decided to regularise the excess posts of 453 school teachers of Sivasagar, Nagaon, Sonitpur, Lakhimpur and Dhemaji who were given appointments during the AGP regime. Till the regularisation of posts, the teachers would get fixed pay.
It decided formation of a Subsidiary Company of the Assam State Transport Corporation as a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to receive and operate the buses being provided under the JnNURM scheme for urban transportation in Assam.
The Cabinet decided to raise loans amounting to Rs.297.99 lakh from NABARD for projects to be taken up for Flood Control, Irrigation, Fisheries, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, Soil Conservation, Public Works (Roads), Handloom, Textiles & Sericulture.
It gave approval to the setting up of Assam Food & Civil Supplies Corporation and its registration with an authorized capital of Rs.300 crore.
The Cabinet approved the policy for the maintenance of State roads comprising State Highways, major district roads, municipal and rural roads along with requirement for preparation of a Road Maintenance Plan and setting up of the Assam Road Maintenance Fund. The amount in the Fund would be dedicated for maintenance of State roads in accordance with the Road Maintenance Policy and Plan.
The Cabinet also approved issue of an Ordinance to amend the Assam Agricultural University Act and provide for enhancement of the age of superannuation of the Vice Chancellor, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat from 65 years to 70 years.
It decided to make ex-gratia payment of Rs. 3 lakh to the next of kin of the persons from Assam killed outside the State pursuant to the ethnic violence which occurred in BTAD and other neighbouring areas in 2012.
The Cabinet further approved the appointment of Everesters Tarun Saikia and Manish Kr. Deka as coach-cum-instructors for mountaineering and adventure under the Sports & Youth Welfare Department.