Guwahati, May 7: The All-Assam Students’ Union and several other organisations today hailed the Centre’s decision to repeal the contentious Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunals) Act as a “bold move”, but the Congress and minority groups said it was a “dangerous gameplan” by the BJP to foment communal tension.
The All-Assam Minority Students’ Union (AAMSU) warned of a Nellie-like massacre in the wake of the legislation being repealed and called a 12-hour statewide bandh from 5 am of May 10.
Terming the Centre’s decision a “Hitlerian one”, it accused the BJP of “turning its attention to Assam after fanning communal tension in Gujarat and other places”.
The AAMSU and other organisations representing the minorities believe that far from being discriminatory, the Act precludes harassment of “genuine citizens”.
The Congress government, which advocates retention of the Act with the same argument, sent a SOS to party president Sonia Gandhi. Criticising the Centre for taking a “unilateral” decision without the Supreme Court disposing of a writ petition on the issue, chief minister Tarun Gogoi told The Telegraph that he had conveyed his stand to the high command. Government spokesman Ripun Bora accused the BJP of deciding to repeal the Act for political gain.
Congress spokesman Abdul Khalique said any move to repeal the Act was tantamount to violating the Assam Accord.
The United Minority Front made similar remarks.
However, there was jubilation in the AASU, which had led the six-year anti-foreigner agitation. Its general secretary Amiyo Bhuyan urged all political parties to rise above party interests and support the Centre’s decision.
The Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad hailed it as the “right step”, but the Asom Gana Parishad was guarded in its response. Party vice-president Dilip Kumar Saikia said the Centre’s sincerity was yet to be tested. “If it is really committed to repealing the Act, it will convene a joint session of Parliament.”
The BJP and the Congress are now positioned for a battle like the one over the Prevention of Terrorism Act. “The Congress Working Committee has made our position categorically clear through a resolution,” party spokesman Jaipal Reddy said in New Delhi.
BJP spokesman V.K. Malhotra, however, insisted that the Act had become “counter-productive” and should be done away with.