High level Clause 6 committee submits 150-page report to CM Sonowal

February 25: As already declared by State Finance Minister Dr. himanta Biswa Sarma, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday received the report of the high level Clause 6 Committee of Assam Accord. The Chairperson of the Clause 6 Committee and former Gauhati High Court judge Biplab Kumar Sarma handed over the report to the CM Assam in the presence of finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and other ministers of his Cabinet. The Assam government will send the report to the Home Ministry for further action.

The high level committee formed for taking a call on the implementation of the Clause 6 of the Assam Accord formed by the centre had completed its report on 10 February. However, the committee submitted its final report to the Chief Secretary of Assam on 19 February as neither the Home Ministry nor the state government responded to receive the report.

Receiving report of the High Level committee for implementation of Clause 6 of Assam Accord in presence of fellow colleagues of Assam Council of Ministers in Guwahati as per direction of Hon'ble HM Shri @AmitShah ji. pic.twitter.com/4F1md2vaSL

— Sarbananda Sonowal (@sarbanandsonwal) February 25, 2020

However, on 22 February, addressing a press conference at Janata Bhawan in Guwahati, Himanta Biswa Sarma said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah advised that the chief minister of Assam should receive the report on his behalf.” So accordingly, on February 25, Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal along with his Cabinet colleagues received the 150-page report in a sealed envelope from the committee.”

As per sources, the nearly-150 page report has the definition of “Assamese people” and has a number of recommendations for effective implementation of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord. The recommendations have triggered a wave of criticism in the state over the 1951 cut-off date to make one eligible for benefits under Clause 6.

Clause 6 of the Accord Accord states that “Assamese people” would be granted “constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards, as may be appropriate” to “protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage.”