Assam Accord (1985)

Syllabus: GS2/Government Policy & Intervention

Context

• Recently, the Assam government has announced that a broad consensus has been reached on most of the recommendations made under Clause 6 of the Assam Accord, 1985.

About the Assam Accord (1985)

• It was signed on August 15, 1985, between the Government of India, the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), and the All Assam Gana Sangram Parishad (AAGSP). 
• It marked the end of a six-year-long anti-foreigner agitation in Assam (1979–1985), which was driven by concerns over large-scale illegal immigration from Bangladesh and its impact on the state’s demography, culture, and economy.

Key Provisions of the Accord

• Cut-off Date for Citizenship: All foreigners who entered Assam before January 1, 1966 were to be granted citizenship.
  • Those who came between January 1, 1966, and March 24, 1971 would be detected and allowed to stay after registering as foreigners for 10 years.
  • Those who entered after March 24, 1971, were to be detected and deported.
• Clause 6 of the Assam Accord: It promised ‘constitutional, legislative, and administrative safeguards’ to protect the ‘cultural, social, and linguistic identity’ of the Assamese people.
• Border Security: The Accord called for the sealing and fencing of the India-Bangladesh border to prevent further illegal immigration.
• Detection and Deportation Mechanism: A mechanism was to be established for the detection and deportation of illegal immigrants, including the updating of the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Concerns & Challenges

• The definition of ‘Assamese people’ under Clause 6 remains unresolved, complicating the provision of safeguards.
• The NRC update, completed in 2019, excluded over 1.9 million people, leading to legal and humanitarian challenges.
• The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019, has further complicated the situation by offering a path to citizenship for non-Muslim immigrants from neighboring countries, which many in Assam view as a violation of the Accord.

Source: TH