The Hindu : National : AASU ``ultimatum''

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 16, 2005

National

National

AASU ``ultimatum''

By Sushanta Talukdar

GUWAHATI, FEB. 15. The All-Assam Students Union (AASU) today served a 48-hour "ultimatum" to the State Government to withdraw an official circular issued by the Assam Police suspending the issuance of notices to suspected illegal migrants in the State. It threatened to launch a vigorous movement if the circular is not withdrawn by Thursday.

In a message on February4, the Additional Director-General of Police (Border) instructed all district police chiefs to suspend the issuing of notices with immediate effect.

"A lot of allegations are being received that border staff in the districts are issuing notices to genuine Indian citizens and asking them to produce documentary evidences to prove their citizenships. In view of this, the issue of notices by the border branch should be suspended with immediate effect," the message said.

The AASU adviser Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharyya said the student body was also opposed to the issuing of notices to genuine Indian citizensand harassing them in the name of detecting foreign nationals.

"However, a blanket suspension of [the] issuance of notices by the border branch has brought the entire detection process to a complete halt at a time when unabated infiltration of illegal Bangladeshi migrants have been taking place in the State through the porous border."

He alleged that through the issuance of the official circular the Congress government had been trying to protect the "illegal Bangladeshi migrants." He demanded that the circular be immediately withdrawn and the process of detection of illegal migrants be resumed on the basis of the Assam Accord.

The AASU also urged that all political parties clarify their stand on the issue and unitedly call for the withdrawal of the circular. It accused the political parties of "adopting an appeasement policy towards illegal Bangladeshi migrants for their narrow electoral gain."

The official circular, however, stated that the inquiry officers might interrogate suspected foreigners and fill up report in form I and II of the Illegal Migrants' (Determination by Tribunals) Act (IMDT) Act. Great care and caution should be taken before instituting enquiries [under] either the IMDT Act or the Foreigners Act and it should be ensured that no genuine Indian citizen was harassed."

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