Indigenous people won’t be affected by CAA: Assam CM AP Cabinet defers taking decision on relocating state capital

Sonowal led BJP’S ‘Peace and Progress March’ in Morigaon district of Assam

JAGIROAD (ASSAM): Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Friday said the indigenous people of the state, whose interests are protected by the Assam Accord, will be not be affected by granting of Indian citizenship to a "small number" of persecuted people.

Sonowal, while addressing BJP'S 'Peace and Progress March' in Morigaon district of Assam which was also attended by leaders of its alliance partners AGP and BPF, said the state government is committed to protecting the land rights, culture and language of the indigenous people.

"Congress could not provide security to the small number of people who fled their country due to religious persecution. Now, they are being given an opportunity to get Indian citizenship by applying under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.

"These people will not have any negative impact on the

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal along with State Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma, AGP President Atul Bora, BJP state president Ranjeet Kumar Das and other party leaders take part in a peace rally at Jagiroad, in Morigaon district, on Friday

indigenous people. Do not get misled by the misinformation being spread that the Bjp-led government will bring in foreigners and settle them on the surplus lands in villages and tea gardens," Sonowal said.

Noting that only a negligible number of foreigners will get Indian citizenship under

the Act, he said the BJP governments at the Centre and the state will ensure that the interests of the indigenous people are protected under Clause 6 of the Assam Accord.

Sonowal said the Clause provides constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards for protecting, pre

serving and promoting the cultural, social and linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people.

He said the BJP never worked against the interests of the Assamese people and the party had even supported the six- year-long anti-foreigners Assam Movement.

The state government will also reach out to the people to dispel their misunderstandings about CAA, he said.

Sonowal accused the Congress of settling "lakhs of foreigners" in Assam during its rule and wondered why there were no movements against foreigners then like what the state is witnessing now.

Protests against the Act, mainly spearheaded by student bodies AASU and AJYCP, are continuing across the Brahmaputra Valley. Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, speaking at the rally, said the BJP will win the 2021 Assembly election in the state with the votes of the indigenous people.

He said the people who would be granted citizenship under CAA are already settled in different parts of the state since the 1970s.

"We will give blood for the development of Assam but will never allow its progress to get halted. We are with the people and will try to solve their problems," he said.

AMARAVATI: The Andhra Pradesh cabinet on Friday deferred taking a decision on relocating the state capital after Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy reportedly told his colleagues there was no hurry to undertake the exercise, which has created some unrest among people.

Before firming up its decision on the capital and related issues, the government would constitute another high-powered committee to study the report of the experts committee and also the soon to be submitted report of an international consultancy firm, Cabinet sources said.

Though there was anticipation that the government might take a decision on the capital, based on a report submitted by a six-member committee of experts, headed by retired IAS officer G N Rao, the Cabinet only decided to wait for the report of Boston Consulting Group, the sources said.

The Cabinet, however, discussed the recommendations of the G N Rao committee.

The government had engaged the international consultancy firm to study various aspects related to the development of the state capital, the costs involved and other factors. BCG had submitted an interim report to Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy a few days ago,suggesting that a "brownfield capital would be best suited rather than a "greenfield capital" that involves huge costs.

The BCG reportedly referred to the capitals of various countries like Brazil, Sri Lanka and how they were developed.

"For a state like ours, the BCG felt a brownfield capital will do, where the cost of development will be minimal, a top official told PTI.

BCG is expected to submit its final report on January 3, 2020, after which the government will constitute a high- powered committee with bureaucrats to analyse the reports of the G N Rao committee and the international consultancy firm.

The high-powered committee will submit its recommendations to the state government, based on which a final call on the state capital and related issues will be taken, according to Information and Public Relations Minister Perni Venkataramaiah (Nani).

"We will also take the views of the farmers, who gave up fertile agricultural land for the development of Amaravati and listen to their grievances before taking a final call on the capital issue, Nani told a media briefing after the cabinet meeting.

The Chief Minister had indicated on December 17 that Andhra Pradesh could have three capitals, on the lines of South Africa, as decentralization was a real concept.