The Assam Assembly on Wednesday witnessed an intense debate over the implementation of the Assam Accord, with Raijor Dal President and MLA Akhil Gogoi questioning the government on pending clauses. The Accord, signed in 1985, was aimed at addressing illegal migration, land rights, and cultural preservation in Assam. Assam Accord Implementation Minister Atul Bora informed the Assembly that while most clauses had been implemented, Clause 6, which promises constitutional, legislative, and administrative safeguards for Assamese people, remains under review. He stated that the state government, under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, is working on 52 shortlisted recommendations from the Justice Biplab Kumar Sharma Committee’s report on Clause 6.
On the foreigner detection process, Bora revealed that as of July 31, 2024, authorities identified 32,761 persons as foreigners (1966-1971 stream), with 18,001 registered with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO). Additionally, 1,30,330 individuals (post-1971 stream) have been declared foreigners, with 30,113 deported to Bangladesh and 450 repatriated diplomatically. The discussion also focused on border security, with Bora stating that fencing along the Indo-Bangladesh border is nearly complete, except for 4.35 km in Karimganj, pending technical discussions with Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).
Gogoi, however, criticized the government, calling the implementation process slow and opaque. He demanded a clear timeline for fulfilling the Accord’s clauses, particularly those safeguarding Assamese identity.