Clause 6 seeks to provide constitutional safeguards for the state’s indigenous communities and seeks reservation as well as land rights for them
After years of struggle and protests, the Assam government on Wednesday held a crucial meeting with leaders of the All Assam Students Union (AASU) to move forward with the implementation of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord — a provision that seeks to provide constitutional safeguards for the state’s indigenous communities.
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Despite being an integral part of the Assam Accord, which was signed in 1985 to end the six-year-long Assam agitation against illegal immigration, Clause 6 has remained unimplemented for nearly four decades.
The Assam Accord was signed between the government of India, the Assam government, and leaders of AASU and the All Assam Gana Sangram Parishad (AAGSP), following a mass movement that demanded the detection, deletion, and deportation of illegal immigrants. While many provisions of the Accord, such as updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC), were pursued over the years, Clause 6 — which guarantees constitutional, legislative, and administrative safeguards to protect the cultural, social, and linguistic identity of Assam’s indigenous communities — has been in a political limbo.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, addressing the media, said: “We had productive discussions with AASU on implementing Clause 6. Justice Biplab Sarma had previously submitted a report, and today we reviewed which recommendations the state government can act upon. Importantly, these measures will not be enforced in Barak Valley or Schedule 6 areas without their consent. We have also urged the Centre to work with AASU on the provisions under their authority.”
Speaking to News18, advisor to AASU, Sammujal Bhattacharya, said: “This is a ray of hope. Assam has suffered for years due to influx of illegal foreigners. There is a threat to the identity of the indigenous people of Assam. The whole demographic pattern has changed. So, the answer is the constitutional safeguard mentioned in Clause 6 of the Assam Accord. The meeting is a positive sign and we hope we will get results. Till then, we will continue our struggle. It’s our motherland; we can’t let illegal Bangladeshis control it.”
Sarma said a report will be prepared within a month on how the government is planning to implement the recommendations that come under the jurisdiction of the state government. If the report is approved by AASU leaders, it will be implemented before April 15 next year.
He added that as per the report, there will be more evictions from those forest lands and hills “where illegal infiltrators have tried to occupy the land of the Assamese people”.
AASU president Utpal Sarma highlighted the meeting’s significance, emphasising that the people of Assam have sought constitutional and legal protections for over four decades. “We have agreed on a clear path forward. Of the 67 recommendations, 39 fall under the state’s jurisdiction, 12 require collaboration between the state and central governments, and 16 are solely under the Centre’s domain. The state government has committed to implementing its share by next April, and we will develop a coordinated action plan. As for the 16 central recommendations, we concluded that a tripartite discussion between the state, Centre, and AASU is necessary,” he said.
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WHY IS THIS HISTORIC?
The Assam Accord was signed in 1985 between then Assam government, Centre, AASU, and All Assam Gana Sangarm Parishad. The objective of this accord was to provide constitutional safeguards to the indigenous “Assamese people”. The huge influx of Bangladeshis to Assam was so alarming that “Assamese people” started becoming a minority in many places in the state.
The residents then realised that to hold on to the identity of “Assamese people”, they first needed the define the term. Under Clause 6 of Assam Accord, it has been defined as:
– Assamese community residing in the territory of Assam on or before 01.01.1951
– any indigenous tribal community of Assam residing in the territory of Assam on or before 01.01.1951
– any other indigenous community of Assam residing in the territory of Assam on or before 01.01.1951
– all other citizens of India residing in the territory of Assam on or before 01.01.1951
– descendants of the above categories are “Assamese people”
However, after long years of debate on the definition of “Assamese people”, Sarma on Wednesday said the definition of Assamese for Clause 6 is anyone coming to Assam before 1951. For considering Indian citizens, the base year will be 1971.
The Justice Biplab Sarmah committee report says that the increasing Muslim population, which started with illegal immigrants coming in to Assam from Bangladesh, is alarming and hence, for the protection of the “Assamese people”, the implementation of Clause 6 is important.
The rise in Muslim population has been so exponential that in many districts, they have become the majority population. In 1971, two districts were dominated by minorities, while in 1991, the number rose to four. As per the 2011 Census, 11 districts are Muslim-majority, including Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Darrang, Dhubri, Goalpara, Hailakandi, Karimganj, Nagaon, and Morigaon.
WHAT MORE DOES CLAUSE 6 ASK FOR?
It seeks 80-100 per cent reservation in the parliamentary seats of Assam; 80-100 per cent reservation in Union government/semi-central/central PSU/private-sector jobs; Land rights with restrictions imposed on transferring land by any means to persons other than Assamese; and that Assamese language shall continue to be official language throughout the state with provisions for use of local language in Barrak, the hills, and Bodoland Territorial Region.
WHY IS IT A MASTERSTROKE FOR SARMA?
The Assam Accord is considered a document to keep alive the identity of Assamese people. A total of 855 people sacrificed their lives during the Assam Agitation of 1985. After 40 years of denial, Sarma’s decision and announcement to consider even one clause of the accord is like fulfilling the long-held wish of the people of Assam. This may help Sarma connect with the indigenous people at a time when the party is gearing up for the perpetrations of state elections in 2026.
The state government is expected to begin implementing its recommendations by next April, while coordination with the Centre and AASU will be key to resolving the remaining issues. The outcomes could lead to historic progress, providing long-overdue constitutional safeguards for Assam’s indigenous communities.
