Fearing that persecuted Hindus from Bangladesh might try to enter Assam, particularly in the backdrop of recent attacks on Hindus in the neighbouring country, former Assam Chief Minister and senior Asom Gana Prishad (AGP) leader Prafulla Kumar Mahanta has appealed the Central Government to formulate a clear policy for rehabilitation of these people.
The former Assam Chief Minister said that North-East India, particularly Assam has been the choicest destination for the victims of religious persecutions in Bangladesh and that the Hindus, who are the minority in the country, might try to migrate to Assam in the coming days due to the recent terror attacks on them.
“The Central Government had passed an order to allow the victims of religious persecutions in Bangladesh to live in India without any document. This will only fasten their arrival in India, particularly in Assam,” he said.
“We want the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government at the Centre to formulate a policy for their rehabilitation and settlement so that Assam is not made to bear the burden of these people for the sake of short political gains of any political party,” he said. He said that he had already sent a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his immediate intervention.
“Assam is already overpopulated and the Centre must settle and rehabilitate these people elsewhere in India and not in Assam,” he said. Mahanta hoped that the BJP led NDA Government will surely consider the demand as AGP is not only a partner of the NDA Government at the Centre, but also a partner of the BJP-led Government in Assam.
He also sought the Prime Minister to intervene in the matter pertaining to auctioning of the 12 oil fields. “It is bad business to sell our own oil reserves to multinationals particularly when the prices of oil are falling globally. This will deprive the State of right price for the State's natural resources. If at all Government of India is keen of getting rid of these oil fields at whatever price they get, they should be handed over to Assam Government, which has enough expertise and infrastructure to get oil from these wells,” Mahanta demanded.
“I hope the Central Government as well as the Prime Minister will reconsider the decision to auction the oil fields,” he said.
The former Assam Chief Minister also condemned the Central Government for shifting the proposed venue to set up the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) from Raha in Nagaon District to Baihata Chariali in Kamrup District and said that the Prime Minister must intervene immediately to set up the AIIMS at Raha instead of Baihata Chariali.