ASSAM DOWN TOWN UNIVERSITY,

GUWAHATI DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WORK

AN ASSIGNMENT ON
SOCIAL MOVEMENT IN INDIA

For the Academic year 2021-22

Submitted by :
Department of Social Work
 SOCIAL MOVEMENTS IN INDIA
Assam Movement:

Only in the middle of 1979 did the Assam Movement emerge as a social
movement. The Mongoldoi by-elections were the catalyst for the Assam
Movement. The Mangoldoi parliamentary seat became vacant after the death of
Janata Party MP Hiralal Patowary in March 1979. As a result, the process of
holding a Lok Sabha by-election began.

When the revision of electoral rolls began, however, numerous complaints were
filed questioning the authenticity of citizenship of a large number of people, the
majority of whom had already received or exercised their constitutional rights to
vote. The increased number of foreigners in Assam terrified both the majority
and the minority. As a result, Assamese citizens became increasingly concerned
about the issue of foreign nationals. As a result, the issue was no longer limited
to the Mangoldoi constituency, but had spread throughout Assam.

It is worth noting that the permit system between India and Pakistan was
abolished on October 15, 1952, and the passport system was implemented. The
Indian Passport Act governs Pakistani entry into India. In 1950, there was a
large-scale immigration to Assam from East Pakistan, resulting in a dire
situation in the state. The Immigrants (Expulsion From Assam) Act, 1950, was
enacted by Parliament to counteract the unrestricted large-scale entry of
foreigners. This Act empowered the federal and state governments to expel and
drive out anyone who entered the state illegally and in secret. The central
government's main goal was to prevent foreigners from entering the country.
The state government enacted this legislation to protect the interests of
Assamese citizens. However, the state government fell short of effectively
enforcing the law. Overlooking such a significant piece of legislation was a
serious blunder on the part of the state government. The state government's
actions should have been aimed at limiting foreigners' entry into the state.
Instead, the state government did not act quickly, and its inaction exacerbated
the situation. Finally, a tipping point was reached when the students were forced
to persuade the state government to follow the letter of the law and stop the
unrestricted flow of foreign nationals into Assam.

The All Assam Students' Union, in collaboration with the press, successfully
mobilised public opinion in Assam to achieve the goal of delaying the by-
election to the Mangoldoi constituency until the names of all foreign nationals
were removed from the electoral rolls. They also insisted on detecting and
expelling foreign nationals from Assam. Furthermore, they easily persuaded a
large section of the Assamese about the illegal inclusion of names of foreign
nationals in all other constituencies' electoral rolls. In other words, they were
successful in spreading the issue to the Assamese people and organising them to
fight for their uniqueness. On June 8, 1979, the movement's leadership called
for a 12-hour Assam bandh. The Brahmaputra Valley's reaction to the bandh
was entirely peaceful. Furthermore, this bandh had instilled confidence in the
leadership. Notably, this marked the start of a frenetic period of protests and
mass mobilizations. However, the Mangoldoi bye-election did not take place
because the Janata government at the centre collapsed and preparations for the
election were halted.

On August 22, 1979, all Lok Sabha bye-elections had to be cancelled. The
movement's leadership continued to protest in various ways. Following the
successful blockade of elections in 12 Lok Sabha constituencies, the next
significant protest action was the blockade of crude oil in Assam. This massive
protest began on December 27, 1979, when thousands of supporters of the
movement marched into various oil installations and refineries in Assam and
shut down the flow of crude oil outside Assam, effectively shutting down the
operation of the Barauni refinery in Bihar. On January 18, 1980, the district
administration, aided by police, issued instructions for the dispersal of picketers
at Duliajan, the headquarters of Oil India Limited. When the picketers refused
to leave, the police were forced to use tear gas and then fire in order to disperse
them. Four people were killed and many more were injured in this police
shooting. The movement's leadership expressed their sorrow over the deaths of
four people and declared them martyrs of the movement.

It should be noted that the oil blockage elicited a massive response. The
supporters picketed the oil installations at all hours of the day and night. The
successful blockade also highlighted ordinary Asamiya's rage and annoyance
with the center for discriminating against the state in the matter of
industrialization. As a result, the oil blockade put tremendous pressure on the
center to seriously consider the movement and seek a solution. It should also be
noted that this was the most significant pressure that the leadership applied to
the central government with the help of mass support.

In the mid-term elections held in early January 1980, the Congress party won
unanimously with a more than two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha, forming a
new government at the centre under Mrs. Indira Gandhi's Prime Ministership.
After the formation of the central government, the AASU proposed a written
memorandum to the Prime Minister on February 2, 1980, in which they
conveyed their views on various issues and demands, and even proposed a
solution to the Assani deadlock. The following are the demands of AASU and
AAGSP (All Assam Gana Sangram Parishad):

1. Foreign nationals must be identified and expelled from India.

2. Names of foreign nationals must be deleted from the electoral rolls before
holding any election in Assam. Also inclusion of names of foreign
nationals in electoral rolls in future should be made anfeasible with the
assistance of requisite and robust election machinery.
3. Patrolling of Indian borders with its neighbouring countries should be
done rigorously to check infiltration.
 4. Identity cards with photographs fixed should be issued to Indian voters
living in Assam for authenticity purpose.
5. Necessary protection to the local people of the North-Eastern region
should be provided in the subsequent 15-20 years under the Indian
Constitution.
6. The government of Assam should be given the power to decline any
(citizenship) certificate issued by the district authorities of West Bengal
and Tripura.
7. Last but not the least, power to grant citizenship certificate delegated to
the state governments, should be taken back by the central government
from the state governments, so that those foreigners who are identified
and expelled from Assam do not come back with citizenship certificates
issued by other states.

Gandhian principles of nonviolence, democracy, and secularism guided the

mass movement's organisation. Assamese people enthusiastically supported the
students in this movement. The people of Guwahati organised a peaceful march
to the oil pumping station at Narengi. However, there were a few minor
incidents of violence, which were the work of those opposed to the movement.
The mass movement was massively organised. The people of Assam, as well as
the leaders of the movement, had to endure great hardships in order to carry out
this peaceful conflict. Many people were killed, and some were subjected to
severe physical abuse. Students were deprived of an entire academic year. As a
result, one can conclude that the government failed to comprehend the people of
Assam's needs, demands, and aspirations. As a result, the Indian government
enacted a number of laws to muzzle the voices of those involved in the mass
movement. The AASU and AAGSP launched a mass movement in which
people of all castes, creeds, and religions enthusiastically participated. On
August 15, 1985, the Government of India and the movement's leadership
signed a Memorandum of Understanding in New Delhi, which became known
as the Assam Accord 1985. The people of Assam reacted positively to the
signing of the Assam Accord in 1985. The following are some of the provisions
of the Assam Accord, 1985:

1. Both the parties agreed upon a mutually acceptable year as the deadline
or target for identifying foreign nationals in Assam.
2. The year 1966 was accepted as the target year for identifying foreigners
and 1971 was distinguished as the target year for expelling foreign
nationals from Assam.
3. It was accepted by both the parties that those who entered Assam between
1st January 1966 and 24th March 1971 would be identified, permitted to
stay in Assam and DE franchised for 10 years. After this period, the right
to vote would be given to them once again. In addition, those who
crossed the international border after 24th March 1971 would be
expelled.
4. Apart from this, the Government at the Centre accepted to offer
constitutional, legislative, and administrative safeguards to secure, shelter
 and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and traditions of the
people of Assam.
5. The central government also agreed to increase patrolling across the
border and to check future infatuation by building physical barriers such
as walls and barbed wire fencing.
6. The Government of India also accepted to pull out the cases of
disciplinary actions against the employees for the participation in the and
relaxed the age land of candidates from Avan fox all UPSC conducted
examinations The central government gave its consent to build a new
Indian Institute of Technology (IT) and a refinery in the private sector in
Assam. It also agreed to request the Election Commission to make sure
the groundwork of a just electoral roll.
7. The central government gave its consent to build a new Indian Institute of
Technology (IT) and a refinery in the private sector in Assam. It also
agreed to request the Election Commission to make sure the groundwork
of a just electoral roll.

Therefore, the Assam Movement culminated in the signing of the Assam

Accord, 1985.