INDIA: Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) submitted a memorandum to the State Governor J.B Patnaik on Saturday against the State Cabinet's decision of giving refugee status to Bangladeshi nationals who face religious persecution in their country.
On Saturday, after a meeting held by AGP President Atul Bora and fifteen other members, with the governor in Raj Bhawan, Atul Bora said slamming BJP for supporting the decision that, "We will go to any extent to protest against the decision.
We believe that all illegal foreigners should be treated equally irrespective of religion, he added.
The state has taken a lot of burden in this regard, and we have already accepted those who had entered the territory before 25th March 1971.
We want the governor to intervene, and work for the needy.
The Assam Accord, which was signed after agitating for six years, with the then Rajiv Gandhi led Congress Government in New Delhi clearly mentions the party's stand on illegal foreigners.
It is very unfortunate that BJP too has supported it, and the saffron party has promised to deport illegal foreigners from the state before the election, but they too have now taken a U-turn."
It is believed that the move might add to the problems of the state which has been grappling with the illegal citizenship issue for years.
AGP is to carry out several agitation programs against the decision of the Government in the coming few days.
The All Assam Students Union, the region's biggest student body, has also been critical of the Government's decision.
It is said that AGP was the one that had started the state wide anti-foreigners movement in 1985.
The governor has assured the delegation of taking up the matter with President Pranab Mukherjee at the earliest.
There is no census of refugees, but rough estimates suggest that the figure could be not less than 85 lakh, and a majority of them are Bengali speaking Hindus.
There are also Buddhists, Garos, Rajbongshis, Adivasi tribals, and
Bishnupriya Manipuris.
They have settled mostly in Assam due to its close proximity to
Bangladesh, West Bengal and Tripura.
BDST: 1147 HRS, JUL 21, 2014
