Date:21/12/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/12/21/stories/2004122104321200.htm

National

AGP delegation meets President

A delegation of the Asom Gana Parishad coming out of the Rashtrapati Bhavan after submitting a memorandum on `Assam Accord', in New Delhi on Monday. — PTI

NEW DELHI, DEC. 20. A delegation of Members of Parliament and MLAs of the Asom Gana Parishad today met the President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, seeking the implementation of the Assam Accord and repeal of the controversial Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunals) Act.

The lawmakers, who are from the Opposition party in Assam, submitted a memorandum, which also demanded that the Centre immediately start a ``meaningful dialogue'' with the insurgent outfits in the State to establish peace and declare the recurring floods a ``national problem.''

Accusing the Congress Government in the State of being unable to control continued violence they demanded its immediate dismissal.

``Innocent people are dying due to violence but the Tarun Gogoi Government is doing nothing to stem it," alleged the AGP State president, Brindaban Goswami, who led the delegation along with MPs Arun Kumar Sarma and Sarbananda Sonowal.

Mr. Sonowal said the Assam Accord, signed by the then Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, in 1985, promised to protect the ``political, cultural and economic identity'' of the people of Assam but had not been fully implemented yet.

``Our party also demands repeal of the IMDT Act which is discriminatory by nature.''

Earlier, the lawmakers, ex-Union Minister Birendra Kumar Baishya, former State Ministers and AGP activists held a dharna and courted arrest while trying to march towards Parliament to press their demands.

PTI