Clause 6 of the Assam accord

Subject: Polity

Context: Assam Health Minister on Wednesday said that the panel suggestions could not be implemented as they were “far from legal reality.

Concept:

Earlier state government had promised a speedy implementation of Clause 6 in December 2019, in a bid to quell the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in Assam.
The recommendations made by the Central govt appointed committee contradict many judgments and pronouncements of the Supreme Court and provisions of the Constitution and hence and state has thus been silent on this.

The panel talked of:

Setting 1951 as a cut-off year to determine “Assamese people” (the Assam National Register of Citizens sets 1971 as the cut-off year for citizenship, and the CAA sets it at 2014 to fast-track citizenship for minority refugees from other countries).
The panel headed by Biplab Kumar Sarma talked about setting aside 80-100% seats in Assam in Parliament and Assembly and local bodies (inclusive of pre-existing reservations) for Assamese people, and of quota in jobs.

Assam Accord:

It was a tripartite accord signed between the Government of India, State Government of Assam and the leaders of the Assam Movement in 1985.
It led to the conclusion of a six-year agitation launched by the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) in 1979, demanding the identification and deportation of illegal immigrants from Assam.
It sets a cut-off of midnight of 24th March 1971, for the detection of illegal foreigners in Assam.

Clause 6 of the Accord:

It says that constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards, as may be appropriate, shall be provided to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people.