Pm'S Promise On Repealing Migrant Act Raises A Storm

A team of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee, led by president Tarun Gogoi, is currently in the capital, and met party president Sitaram Kesari yesterday. It sought strong action from the central leadership if the government did not give up the move to repeal the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunals) Act, 1983 during the forthcoming winter session of parliament.

Gogoi said the state unit's views had been conveyed to Kesari and the issue was likely to figure in today's meeting of the Congress Working Committee. The state unit condemned Gowda's announcement in Guwahati last month to repeal the act as demanded by the All Assam Students' Union and some other organisations.

The Assam Congress team included leader of the opposition in the state assemby Silvius Condpan.

According to Gogoi, repealing the act would lead to dangerous consequences, and would lead to harassment of Indian citizens belonging to the minority community in the state. The move, he alleged, was prompted by propaganda on the issue by the AASU and the Bharatiya Janata party. Now, he said, the ruling AGP had joined hands with the BJP on the issue. During the last general election, it was the BJP which was demanding its repeal. Now the AGP has joined hands with the BJP against the act, Gogoi said. Leaders of the United Minority Front (UMF) and the All-Assam Minority Students' Union have also met leaders in the capital and requested them to oppose the government's move.