GUWAHATI, April 3 – The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) has demanded regional autonomy with true federal structure for the all round development of all sections of people of small States like Assam. The AGP, in its manifesto for the ensuing general elections, which was released by the party president Brindaban Goswami this morning, observed that concentration of powers at Delhi is one of the main reasons for lack of development of the smaller States and demanded that all powers, barring defence, external affairs, communication and currency, should be handed over to the States.
The AGP demanded setting up of an Upper House in the State for ensuring protection of the democratic rights of all the ethnic groups and said that all sections of people of the State must get equal rights. The regional party demanded that the North East should be treated as a special economic zone and the State should have the rights over its natural resources. The manifesto said that the AGP has been fighting for the rights over the natural resources of the State and pointed out that though the Central Government has been collecting about Rs 850 crore a year as oil development cess per year from Assam, the amount was not utilised for the development of the State. The party demanded that the Centre should return at least 50 per cent of the oil cess collected from Assam to the state. The AGP reiterated its demand for shifting of the headquarters of the tea companies to Assam and said that the Central Government should establish a tea Ministry for ensuing development of the industry and the labourers engaged in the gardens.
The AGP, in its manifesto demanded implementation of all the clauses of the Assam Accord and scrapping of the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunals) Act. The party also demanded that a National Register of Citizens with the names of the persons who were citizens of Assam prior to March 25, 1971, should be prepared. But at the same time, the party demanded that no genuine Indian citizen should be harassed in the name of detecting the foreign nationals. The AGP president alleged that the BJP is not serious on the issue of scrapping the IMDT Act. He pointed out that though the BJP led NDA Government at the Centre convened a joint session of the parliament to pass the POTA, no such step was taken to repeal the IMDT Act. The party also expressed concern over the delay in setting up of the gas cracker project, promised in the Assam Accord and asserted that the party would continue to mount pressure on all concerned for the setting up of the project.
Reiterating its demand for considering flood as a national problem, the AGP has strongly opposed the river-linking project of the NDA Government. The AGP demanded that in addition to the funds required for taking up flood control projects, the Central Government should bear all the expenditures required for the rehabilitation of the flood-affected people.
On the issue of insurgency, the AGP demanded that efforts should be made to bring the ultras to the negotiation table for political solution to the problem. The party made it clear that it is against all kinds of violence and violation of human rights. The party also demanded withdrawal of the “black laws” and expressed the view that the problem of insurgency cannot be solved through the use of force.
Expressing concern at the growing problem of unemployment, the AGP demanded that the grade III and IV posts in all the Central Government offices should be kept reserved for local youths. The AGP also demanded that the candidates appearing in the all India competitive examinations should be allowed to use all languages included in the Eighth Schedule including Assamese and Bodo.
Meanwhile, talking to media persons after releasing the manifesto, the party president Brindaban Goswami asserted that no individual is above the party and the discipline of the party would be strictly enforced. He said that Jayasree Goswami Mahanta, wife of former Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta has been expelled from the party for filing her nomination as an independent candidate from the Dhubri constituency against the official candidate of the AGP. He asserted that it would not affect the party in any way. He also said that strong action would be taken against any party man whoever is found to be assisting Goswami Mahanta in her electoral battle. He also revealed that the two legislators, who violated the party whip and abstained from voting in the recently held Rajya Sabha polls, have been suspended from the party and legal action would be taken against them.