Asom heads for crisis over Delimitation Commission's proposals

Guwahati, June 3 (UNI) Asom is heading for a major political crisis over the Delimitation Commission's proposals which have been opposed by all the political parties in the state.

Already the declaration of the draft proposal on May 2 had triggered widespread protests across the state, with strikes, bandhs and blockades bringing life to a standstill in the entire Brahamputra valley.

''The process would continue but as we are going for public hearing the draft proposals can be reversed completely with the suggestion from the public,'' said Commisison Chairman Justice(Retd) Kuldeep Singh.

However every political party from Congress to BJP and AGP want the status quo. The non-update of the National Register of Citizens (NRC),raised by the All Assam Students' Union (AASU), became the most important issue, with all fearing that the delimitation will give citizen status to the illegal settlers in the state.

''We have no problem in delimitation but that should be done after the preparation of the NRC as the sizeable number of Bangladeshi voters will change the equation of the state with upper Asom seeing reduction of seats while Bangladeshi infested lower Asom will see more seats,'' said AASU adviser Dr Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharya.

Besides, proposals for scrapping a number of constituencies in some parts and de-reservation of some existing ones, Kokrajhar constituency notable among them, also ignited protests.

The Delimitation Commission, however, is firm on completing the process by July, when the term of the Commission expires, with the state Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi apprehending a law and order problem if the delimitation is carried forward.

The political parties were united for a change, albeit on different pretexts, with all, including the Congress legislators who are associate members of the Commission, rejecting the delimitation suggested by the draft proposal.

More protests are lined up with a bandh called in the Jorhat, Tinsukia and Dibrugarh districts on June 6. The state had seen nine bandhs during the past 15 days over the delimitation issue.

MORE UNI