DIBRUGARH, Dec 17 ? AASU has cooked up a recipe in its attempt to take care of the ills of the State, ranging from illegal migration to corruption. If all goes well, the proposed ?Asomiya Sena? will get final shape on Sunday, at the end of the three-day national convention of the association, which began here today.
Before declaring the formation of the new outfit, AASU will be consulting a cross section of the citizens, other students? organisations of the State, and varsity level intellectuals. The grand event, which is being held at the Chowkidinghee grounds here, is boasting of a significant participation from the Barak Valley as well, making this event a really pan-Assam event, with students and elders from all over Assam converging in the city in big numbers.
Speaking to The Assam Tribune here this afternoon, AASU general secretary Amiyo Kumar Bhuyan said the native people of Assam are undergoing a severe problem of basic existence, propelled by unemployment, lack of land ownership and an acute culture of all pervading corruption, which has crippled normal life. He said that given these situations, it has become pertinent to have a watchdog organisation that is in able hands, to try to give some succour to the people of the State.
Elaborating, Bhuyan said that Assam urgently requires to have a fresh look at its land regulations and work towards comprehensive land reforms. He said there should be a law whereby outsiders cannot become owners of land in the State. ?By ?outsiders? we mean any person who was not a permanent resident of Assam prior to March 1971,? he explained.
He stressed that land in Assam has to compulsorily belong to the locals, irrespective of their caste, creed or religion. He then said that to address the problem of unemployment, there has to be a mechanism by which only locals of the North East get employment in Assam, across all sections and variety of employment, be it in the government or private sector.
Saying that corruption has taken deep roots at all stages of government activity in Assam, Bhuyan said the proposed Asomiya Sena would wage a war on corruption, to rectify the situation. At the Chowkidinghee grounds here, an elaborate ?swahid bedi? has been erected, with individual memorials to each of the 855 martyrs who gave up their lives during the six year Assam agitation. The main deliberations will take place in a 20,000 square feet temporary auditorium.
In a departure from convention, AASU this time has extended its invitation to various political parties too, seeking their suggestions on the proposed Asomiya Sena. This apart, various students? organisations of the region have already confirmed their participation in the deliberations. AASU?s formal note on the proposed outfit is expected to be ready by Saturday afternoon, after which the matter would be put up for discussions and amendments.