The Assam Government and the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) held their third round of talks on 22 November to discuss the implementation of the recommendations made for Clause 6 of the Assam Accord. The discussions were centred on the report submitted by the high-level committee led by retired Justice Biplab Kumar Sharma. This committee was formed by the Central Government to suggest ways to provide constitutional safeguards to Assam’s indigenous and marginalised communities.
The meeting took place at the Chief Minister’s office in Dispur. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma presided over the discussions. Representatives of AASU, including President Utpal Sarma, General Secretary Smiran Phukan, and Chief Advisor Dr. Samujjal Bhattacharya, attended the meeting. The discussions aimed to move forward with the recommendations of the Biplab Sharma Commission, nearly four decades after the signing of the Assam Accord.
The Biplab Sharma Committee had identified 67 issues in its report. Of these, 40 issues fall completely under the Assam Government, 15 under the Central Government, and 12 require joint action from both. According to AASU advisor Dr. Samujjal Bhattacharya, the Assam Government has already held discussions on 52 recommendations that fall under its jurisdiction. He stressed that AASU wants all these decisions implemented without delay. To ensure this, a monitoring committee has been formed, which includes Ministers Atul Bora, Piyush Hazarika, and Ajanta Neog, along with AASU representatives. 
Dr. Bhattacharya said that AASU will be satisfied only when every recommendation made by the Biplab Sharma Commission is implemented. He also pointed out that issues related to the Assam Accord and NRC updation must be resolved as well.
AASU President Utpal Sarma said that an action plan has already been prepared for the 52 recommendations. He said the monitoring committee will review the progress and coordinate with the concerned ministers. While many of the recommendations under the state government are being worked on, those under the Central Government are still pending. AASU has asked for tripartite talks involving the Centre, the Assam Government, and AASU. These talks are expected to take place around December or January. Sarma explained that matters related to language, land, and culture fall under the state, while issues that require Central intervention will be discussed in the tripartite meeting.
AASU General Secretary Smiran Phukan said that after almost forty years, the implementation of the Biplab Sharma Committee’s recommendations is finally moving forward. He said AASU wants all decisions taken by the state government to be completed by February 2025. He added that talks with the Central Government will be important for ensuring long-term constitutional protections. AASU also stressed that all parts of the Assam Accord must be fully implemented, not just Clause 6.
Phukan also referred to the Tiwari Commission, which had looked into certain incidents during the Assam Movement in 1983. AASU demanded that the government table the Tiwari Commission report in the assembly. They also called for the submission of the Mehta Commission report, prepared by the Assam Liberation Fighters’ Association, for the assembly’s consideration.
