AASU to hold statewide protests on March 10

All Assam Students' Union (AASU) today said it will hold a state-wide protest on Tuesday demanding constitutional safeguard for indigenous people as per Assam Accord.
"There will be no compromise on constitutional safeguard and seat reservation for indigenous people in Assam as per Assam Accord. To press for this long-standing demand, we will hold state-wide protest on March 10," AASU Advisor Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharya said.
He said the state government is creating confusion by saying that constitutional safeguards cannot be given right now due to absence of a definition of 'Assamese people'.
"The definition is needed only in respect of seat reservation for indigenous people. For rest other issue of safeguards, we do not need the definition. The government is doing nothing in this regards," Bhattacharya said.

Some of the points under constitutional safeguards include preservation of the satra culture, inner-line permit, dual citizenship, right to land and special status.
He alleged that the Tarun Gogoi-led government is trying to create confusion in updation process of NRC, which is being done under the strict observation of the Supreme Court.
Last week in the Assam Assembly, Implementation of Assam Accord Minister Bhumidhar Barman had said that there is no proper definition of an Assamese people available.
Following this, Assam Assembly Speaker Pranab Kumar Gogoi said he will discuss with all political parties, various ethnic communities and different socio-cultural groups to arrive at a definition of an Assamese and asserted that the imposition of culture has endangered the existence of society.