A 14-member committee, set up by the Home Ministry to suggest ways for providing constitutional safeguards to the indigenous people of Assam, will meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah on January 12th, 2020. The committee is headed by Justice (Retd) Biplab Kumar Sharma.

However, the All Assam Students Union (AASU) turned it down the talks invite by Shah. The invitation was sent on January 11th, 2020. This came after the Centre brought the Citizenship (Amendment) Act into effect on January 10th, 2020.

Amid widespread protests in Assam and other parts of the country, the Union Home Ministry issued a notification stating that the provisions of the Act will come into force from January 10th, 2020. However, the Centre is yet to frame rules for the Act.

Those who are opposed to the legislation say that the CAA violates the Assam Accord and is against the basic tenets of the country’s constitution.

It may be noted, the committee was set up as per Clause 6 of the historic 1985 Assam Accord. The Clause 6 of the Accord deals with granting constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards to the Assamese people to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage.

The Accord was signed in 1985 between the Rajiv Gandhi government and the AASU and All Assam Gana Sangram Parishad.

According to a Home Ministry notification, the committee will assess the appropriate level of reservation of seats in Assam Legislative Assembly and local bodies for the Assamese people. The committee will also recommend the appropriate level of reservations in employment under the government of Assam for the Assamese people.

The meeting will take place after Assam Chief Minister and Assam Finance Minister met Shah and discussed the present scenario in the state. Sarma also tweeted that people of the state will hear “some good news soon”.

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