Infiltration along Indo-Bangladesh border has come down, says Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal

GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal on Wednesday claimed that in last one year of BJP-led government infiltration along Indo-Bangladesh has come down.He said there is drop in cattle and arm smuggling.

Sonowal while detailing the achievement of one year old government said,Indo-Bangladesh will be sealed within a short time. "The process of updation of National Register of Citizens (NRC) is on and draft NRC roll will be published by December 31, 2017.”

Sonowal also added, “I have visited border areas twice to a send message that security of border is not only the job of security forces but people must also get involved in protecting borders.”

The chief minister said that indigenous people will be provided land right. A committee has been constituted under chairmanship of former Chief Election Commissioner of India HS Brahma to study the land issue of Assam to formulate a land policy.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh recently held tripartite talks with All Assam Students’ Union (Aasu) and assured that the spirit of Assam Accord would not be allowed to be diluted at any cost.

Assam accord was signed after six years of anti-foreigners’ movement (1979-1985). Sonowal said, “The tripartite talks discussed clause-wise, time bound implementation of Assam Accord particularly Clauses 6 and 7 of accord pertaining to Constitutional safeguards to indigenous people and economic safeguards. Two separate expert committees are constituted for the purpose.”

Sonowal assured that fight against corruption will continue and no one will be spared be it be minister or MLA. “The government's "zero tolerance" of corruption has unleashed an "uncompromising war" to root out social evils from the administrative machinery of Assam.”

He said it had resulted in the arrest of the chairman and two other members of Assam Public Service Commission on corruption charges, besides three Assam Civil Service officers in connection with the 'cash for job' scam in the APSC and 21 government officials of various departments while taking bribes.

The government drive had also yielded Rs 52.15 lakh of bribe money, Rs 3.37 crore in cash and gold ornaments valued at Rs 1.75 lakh.