New Delhi: A high-level delegation from the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) on Tuesday made a beeline for Parliament House, where they met with the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi.
The purpose of the meeting, as per the AJP, was to push for the speedy and complete implementation of the Assam Accord, the expulsion of illegal foreigners, and constitutional safeguards for the indigenous Assamese people, issues which they claim have been betrayed by the current BJP-led government.
The AJP’s memorandum to Rahul Gandhi, a key aspect of their visit, detailed these pressing demands. Prominent Congress leaders, including Assam’s own MPs Gaurav Gogoi and Pradyut Bordoloi, along with Rakibul Hussain, were also present during the discussion.
Following the rendezvous, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi informed the media that Rahul Gandhi had an extensive interaction with the AJP leaders, a party that had taken birth during the fervent anti-CAA protests in Assam. Gogoi said that Gandhi was keen to get a deeper understanding of the ground situation in the state.
The discussion, he added, delved into the historical context of the Assam Accord, a pact signed by Rahul Gandhi’s father, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, as well as the NRC process that was initiated during the tenure of the UPA government at the Centre and the Tarun Gogoi-led state government. Furthermore, the Congress leader noted that Gandhi was briefed on what the AJP views as the “failure” of the present state government.
The AJP delegation, which included its leaders Lurinjyoti Gogoi, Jagadish Bhuyan, Kamal Nayan Choudhury, Ziaur Rahman, Chittaranjan Basumatary, and Raju Phukan, reiterated their claim that the BJP has “betrayed” the people of Assam on the critical issue of expelling foreigners. In their appeal to Rahul Gandhi, they urged him to use his position to raise these matters in Parliament and advocate for the implementation of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord. This clause, a cornerstone of the agreement, is meant to provide the much-needed constitutional, legislative, and administrative safeguards for the indigenous communities of Assam, a goal the AJP believes has been neglected.
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