Cabinet Meeting today: Assam Accord, Citizenship Bill & ST Status to tribes to be discussed

January 2: A cabinet meeting is supposed to be held in New Delhi on Wednesday, which will be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Sources revealed that three important issues related to Assam will come up for discussion and subsequent decision in the said cabinet meeting.

One of the issue which is likely to come up for discussion is to accord Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to 6 tribes of Assam, which are Maran, Matak, Koch Rajbongshi, Tai Ahom, Chutiya and Indigenous Tea Tribes.

Further, Clause 6 of Assam Accord will in all probability will also come up for discussion in the cabinet. Clause 6 states that: “Constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards, as may be appropriate, shall be provided to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people.” A hint in this regard was already given by BJP MP Bijoya Chakraborty on December 18, 2018 while speaking to newsmen.

Apart from this, the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 will also come up for discussion. The Joint Parliamentary Committee formed for this purpose has already finalised the Bill. The Cabinet is likely to decide to table this bill in the ongoing winter session of the Parliament or it may also decide to go through the ordinance route.

Whatever may be the outcome, but political analysts are of the view that the cabinet meeting will be crucial for important issues related to Assam. The decisions adopted in the meeting may also be linked with the future of the ruling BJP in the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls.