AASU-TSF to launch joint movement

GUWAHATI, March 15: The All Assam Students' Union (AASU) and the Tribal Students' Federation (TSF), an umbrella organisation of 14 students' unions of the ethnic groups of the State, have decided to launch a joint movement for the solution of the burning problems of the State including infiltration of foreigners, floods and erosion, problems of the ethnic groups etc. The AASU and the TSF have also decided to send a delegation to New Delhi to put pressure on the Union government for solution of the burning problems of Assam. Addressing a press conference here today, AASU president Prabin Boro and coordinator of the TSF Milan. Sonowal said that both the organisations met here yesterday to draw up a plan to work together on common issues as the political parties as well as the State and the Union governments failed to take steps for the solution of the burning problems of the State. They said that the two organisations would meet again on March 26 to chalk-out their agitational programme. The AASU and the TSF are planning to give a call for an Assam Bandh, after the ongoing High School Leaving Certificate Examination. The AASU advisor Samujjal Bhattacharya said that all the indigenous people of Assam are facing an identity crisis. He said that the indigenous people now have two options before them either to struggle together or to surrender before the Bangladeshi nationals. "The AASU will never surrender before the Bangladeshi nationals and that is why we have decided to unite the students' bodies of the ethnic groups to fight together for our survival", he asserted. Bhattacharya said that the AASU would soon hold formal talks with the All Bodo Students' Union (ABSU). Replying to a question, he said that the AASU did not support the demand for further division of Assam and "we believe that the problems of all ethnic groups can be solved within Assam". Briefing newsmen about the resolutions adopted in the meeting between the AASU and the TSF, the AASU general secretary Amiya Kumar Bhuyan said that the students' organisations would launch a joint movement for recognition of floods as a national problem. The meeting stressed the need for solution of the problem of infiltration of foreigners and demanded scrapping of the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunals) Act. The meeting also demanded reservation of seats in the Lok Sabha, State Assembly and local bodies for indigenous people as per clause VI of the Assam Accord. On the controversy, regarding scheduling of different ethnic groups, the AASU and the TSF demanded setting up of a high-level commission to deal with the issue. The meeting criticised the state government for its failure to decentralise power to the grassroot level by holding the Panchayat polls. The meeting also supported the demand for more autonomy to different ethnic groups and decided to prepare a policy paper in this regard. Opposition parties that the State government did not formally send the proposal to the CBI and was delaying the investigations. We have received the reply from CBI stating that they will conduct the enquiry soon Manik Sarkar Chief Minister said to Tripura Assembly yesterday.