Sarbananda Sonowal: Will carry on talks with Ulfa

Assam CM-designate Sarbananda Sonowal played a key role in taking the Bangladeshi infiltration issue to the Supreme Court that led to the scrapping of the contentious Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunals) Act Illegal immigration, ostensibly, will be a priority.

Negating a proposal by a BJP member during the campaign that 1951 would be the cut-off year for detecting foreigners, Mr Sonowal said, “As per our plan, the Assam Accord will be the basis to tackle the issue of illegal immigration. Illegal immigrants will be detected through the system and as per the directions of the Supreme Court.” Mr Sonowal said, The Assam Accord has recorded 1971 as the cutoff year.

On talks with Ulfa, Mr Sonowal said: “We will continue with the peace initiative with Ulfa.”

On granting of Scheduled Tribe status to six indigenous communities, he added: “As promised, this matter will be taken up”. Granting ST status to these six communities will make Assam a tribal majority state, that will entitle it to special safeguards — and also a way out to resolve the state’s problems arising out of largescale immigration from nearby Bangladesh. The six communities together represent over 40 per cent of the state’s population.

The proposed granting of ST status to six communities had been one of the moot points in the charter of demands of the Ulfa that had started off in 1979 with the avowed aim of attaining sovereignty or total independence for Assam.

Asked if he agrees this is a victory for the indigenous people of Assam, the CM-designate said: “This is an allied effort of the indigenous people of Assam. This is a victory of the greater Assamese society, that includes Hindus, Muslims, indigenous Assamese, Bengalis, Hindi-speakers, Nepalis, etc.”

On the successful strategy for the polls, Mr Sonowal said: “First, the credit goes to the people of Assam. Our campaign strategy has been effectively executed under the dynamic leadership of PM Narendra Modi, party president Amit Shah, election-in-charge Ram Madhav and everyone right down to the booth level. Also, our alliance partners, as this is the outcome of an united initiative. We have all worked together”.

On why the Congress failed this time after a 15-year run, Mr Sonowal said: “The Congress repeatedly failed to deliver to the people of Assam. They failed to detect the illegal migrant, they have always been on the side of illegal migrants. They never sided with the local or indigenous people. That is the biggest reason for their failure. And that is why the people have rejected them.”