Jubiliation in regional camp, gloom in Congress

Guwahati, Dec 5 (UNI) The foreigners' issue returned back to take the center stage of Asom politics once again after a gap of 10 months as regional camp rejoiced with fire crackers while Congress and Minority parties went into huddle after the Supreme Court struck down a controversial amendment of the Foreigners' act today.

It was a scene of jubilation at the office of All Asom Students union(AASU), Asom Gana Parishad(AGP) and the BJP , while the Congress and Asom United Democratic front(AUDF) leaders had gone into a huddle separately to find out new ways to ''protect the minorities.'' The apex court this morning struck down the controversial amendment of the Foreigners' act, which had made the detection of foreigners in Asom vague and lengthy.

The AGP and the AASU had gone to the court challenging the decision while the BJP had also thrown its weight behind that.

Addressing a press conference at the AGP headquarters, a beaming AGP leadership announced that another attempt to protect the minorities in the name of vote bank was foiled. The petition was moved by AGP MP Sarbandna Sonowal.

''This is a huge success and vindicated my stand,'' said Mr Sonowal adding that Union Government had brought in an amendment deliberately for Asom so that foreigners were not expelled and vote bank of Congress could be protected.

As the Supreme Court struck down the infamous IMDT act in July 12,2005 terming it as discriminatory, the Congress just before the Assembly election brought in hurried amendment to the existing foreigners' act on 10 February, 2006.

''The idea is to protect the Bangladeshis, secure their vote bank.

They succeeded someway by getting a second term using their votes,'' said Mr Sonowal.

In front of the AASU office, it was a scene of jubilation as firecrackers were burst. The AASU has been fighting against the infiltration since 1979 and even after the Asom Accord, detection and deportation was not possible because of the IMDT act and then later through this amendment.

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