AGP vows to implement of Assam Accord in poll manifesto

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal at a rally with Union Minister Jitendra Singh, leaders of BJP Baijayant Panda, Himanta Biswa Sarma, Ranjit Dass, AGP President Atul Bora, UPPL leader Pramod Boro, after filing his nomination for the upcoming Assembly elections from the Majuli seat, at the Deputy Commissioner's office in Garmur, Tuesday, March 9, 2021. Credit: PTI Photo

Ruling alliance partner Asom Gana Parishad on Wednesday released its poll manifesto for the coming state assembly poll promising implementation of the Assam Accord and its Clause 6 to protect the rights of the indigenous people. The AGP manifesto like that of BJP, its major partner in the NDA, is completely silent on the issue of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

The manifesto, which was released by Rajya Sabha MP Birendra Prasad Baishya, termed the foreigners' issue as the main problem of the state.

Also read — Back to BJP fold post-CAA, 'anti-foreigner' AGP faces litmus test in Assam Assembly elections

The Accord was signed to solve this problem and AGP was born for its successful implementation, the manifesto said.

Polling for the 126-seat Assam Assembly will be held in three phases from March 27. The counting will be taken up on May 2.

"Full implementation of the Assam Accord is our party's first and main aim and duty. We are committed to the safeguard of political, economic, social and cultural rights of indigenous people as per Clause 6 of the Assam Accord," the manifesto said.

As per Clause 6 of the Assam Accord, constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards, as may be appropriate shall be provided to protect, preserve and promote the culture, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people. The party promised to enact a law to free agricultural land from illegal immigrants and sought to implement the suggestions by the committee for the protection of indigenous land.

Also read — Assembly polls 2021: Assam politics' tryst with religion and language

"We will continue to pressurise the central government to detect and deport infiltrators on the basis of the Assam Accord. The National Register of Citizens should be completed on the basis of the Assam Accord," the manifesto said.

It said unemployment is a burning problem of the state and promised to create job opportunities but refrained from giving any figure on the number of jobs to be generated. The BJP is contesting this election in alliance with AGP and United People's Party Liberal who are part of the North East Democratic Alliance which is the regional arm of NDA.