On the first day of a three-day long public hearing of the delimitation draft held at Kalakshetra, All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) on Wednesday stated there are both positive and negative aspects in the draft proposal adding that they welcome 2001 as the base year for the ongoing delimitation process. They alleged that a few groups are attempting to twist the statements given by the students’ body.

Addressing a press conference, AASU General Secretary Sonkar Jyoti Baruah said, “Several people have deliberately criticized us claiming that we have accepted the draft proposal of delimitation process in the state. We would like to clarify that we only accepted 2001 as the base year for the delimitation process not the entire draft proposal. There are both positive and negative aspects in the proposal. We have demanded to return Lahowal and Amguri constituencies as the indigenous people have a hold in these two constituencies.”

AASU President Utpal Sarma said, “We have welcomed 2001 as base year for the ongoing delimitation however, when the delimitation process will again begin in Assam along with the rest of the country in the year 2026, then it should be based on 1991 census otherwise it be against the rights of the indigenous people.”

Meanwhile, AASU Chief Advisor Samujjal Bhattacharya said, “We wish to clarify our stand on the delimitation exercise in the state by stating that we support 2001 as base year for the process. It is a positive beginning, however, it needs to be amended.”

Earlier, the students’ body drew criticisms after making the statement that they welcome 2001 as the base year.

Last week, Utpal Sarma said, “The demographic pattern of the constituencies has changed in Assam over the years due to illegal infiltration. Had the delimitation exercise been carried out based on the 1991 census figures, we could have expected better representation of the indigenous people from the constituencies. Delimitation based on 2011 is totally undesirable as in many constituencies the demographic pattern has changed due to illegal infiltration.”