Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi speaks in the Lok Sabha
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi Thursday said he respects the Supreme Court's decision to uphold the constitutional validity of Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, thus backing the 1985 Assam Accord signed by the then Rajiv Gandhi government.
A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said the Assam Accord was a political solution to the problem of illegal migration into Assam.
Section 6A of the Citizenship Act 1955 -- which grants Indian citizenship to immigrants who entered Assam between January 1, 1966, and March 25, 1971 -- was inserted into the Act as a special provision to deal with the citizenship of people covered under the Assam Accord.
"I respect the decision of the Hon'ble Supreme Court to back the Assam Accord. The Assam Accord was historic accord which brought peace to the state after years of political agitation. During that period, the Prime Minister of India late Rajiv Gandhi would engage with the student leaders despite political differences. Today the scenario is different. BJP calls protestors anti-nationals and Khalistanis. Or like Manipur PM Modi pretends as if the state doesn't exist," Gogoi wrote on X.
The CJI, writing for himself, upheld the validity and said the magnitude of influx of migrants in Assam is higher as compared to other states considering the smaller land size.
Justice Surya Kant, who wrote for himself and Justices M M Sundresh and Manoj Misra, concurred with the CJI and held that Parliament had the legislative competence to enact such a provision.
The majority verdict held that cut off date of March 25, 1971 for entry into Assam and granting citizenship is correct.
Justice J B Pardiwala, however, dissented and held Section 6A as unconstitutional.