 Symbol of the Assam Movement | |
| Abbreviation | AASU |
|---|---|
| Formation | 8 August 1967; 57 years ago (1967-08-08) |
| Type | Student organization |
| Headquarters | Gauhati University |
| Region served | Assam |
| President | Utpal Sarma |
| Chief Adviser | Samujjal Bhattacharya |
| General Secretary (i/c) | Shorjun Hanse |
All Assam Students' Union or AASU is an Assamese nationalist student's organization in Assam, India. It is best known for leading the six-year Assam Movement against Bengalis of both Indian and Bangladeshi origin living in Assam. The original leadership of the organisation, after the historic Assam Accord of 1985, became part of the newly formed Asom Gana Parishad which formed a state government in Assam.
History
In 1940, a student union named Asom Chattra Sanmilan (Assam Students' Association) divided into the All Assam Student Federation and the All Assam Students' Congress. A decade later the two recombined as the All Assam Students' Association, which was later renamed All Assam Students' Union in January 1967. In August 1967, the Union "established itself as a formal organisation and adopted its Constitution".
Assam agitation
AASU formed the All Assam Gana Sangram Parishad in August 1979 consisting of AASU, Assam Sahitya Sabha, Purbanchaliya Lok Parishad. The Jatiyatabadi Dal, Asom Yubak Samaj and Young Lawyers Forum also joined the Gana Parisha later on. AASU started observing massive satyagraha on the lines of India freedom struggle.
Assam Accord
Finally the central government signed the historic Assam Accord in 1985 to resolve the matter. The agitation ended and AGP won the election to the state Legislative Assembly and its leader became the chief minister of the state.
Under the Assam Accord, a person who came to Assam from East Pakistan after 1951 and before 1971 was given citizenship. The Assam Accord stated in clause 6 that while giving citizenship to immigrants, constitutional protection will be given to original citizens of Assam. The Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunal) Act, 1983 (IMDT Act) was enacted by the Parliament of India in 1983 . This Act was struck down by the Supreme Court of India in 2005.
Known as the IMDT Act (1983) it described the procedures to detect illegal immigrants (from Bangladesh) and expel them from Assam. It was applicable to state of Assam only whereas in other states, detection of foreigners is done under The Foreigners Act, 1946.
Citizenship Amendment Bill
The Lok Sabha on 9th Dec 2019 passed the bill for Citizenship (Amendment) 2019 with 311 votes in favour and 80 against. The Rajya Sabha on 11th Dec 2019 passed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, with 125 votes in favour and 99 against.
The students' union stated that it opposes the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill stating that it is unconstitutional.
Following the passage of the bill, AASU, along with several Nationalist organisations like KMSS, launched a mass protest against the bill.
Following the failure of the protest, AASU and Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) came together to launch a new regional political party, Assam Jatiya Parishad(AJP) in September 2020 to contest the 2021 Assam Legislative Assembly election. The primary reason of forming the AJP and contesting elections was securing the interests of the indigenous people of Assam.
See also
- Asom Sena
- Assamese Language Movement
- Assam Movement
- Wesean Student Federation
- Citizenship Amendment Act
References
- "Bengali Outfit Rejects Assam Accord, Attacks Students' Union Office". The Wire.
- Karna, Mahendra Narain (1998). Social Movements in North-East India. New Delhi: Indus Publishing. ISBN 8173870837.
- ^ Deka, Meeta (1996). Student Movements in Assam. New Delhi: Vikas Pub. House. ISBN 0706998820.
- Utpal Parashar (14 September 2020). "Ahead of 2021 assembly polls, AASU-AJYCP tie up to form Assam Jatiya Parishad". Hindustan Times.