An emergent meeting of the Jorhat district branch of Asom Sattra Mahasabha (ASM) to which the media had also been invited, sought the expulsion of Kusum Kumar Mahanta, general secretary of the organisation for his submission to the Joint Parliamentary Committee in New Delhi recently in favour of the proposed Citizens (Amendment) Bill, 2016 that will grant citizenship to Hindu illegal migrants in Assam.
The Jorhat branch of ASM adopted seven resolutions on the issue including severe condemnation and actions against Mahanta and the two others, Akhil Mahanta, vice-president of South Kamrup zone and Janardan Devagoswami, Xatradhikar of Uttar Kamalabari Xatra, Majuli, for misrepresenting the ASM’s stand on the issue.
Former general secretary of ASM and presently a member of the Steering committee of ASM Bhaba Goswami said that the submissions to the joint parliamentary committee was the personal opinion of the three and they did not represent the views of ASM which was opposed to the proposed Citizens (Amendment) Bill, 2016 that would grant citizenship to Hindu Bangladeshi illegal migrants in Assam.
The meeting which was held under the chairmanship of Rohit Mahanta, president of Jorhat district branch of ASM at Rajabari here urged the Central Committee of ASM to initiate disciplinary action against Kusum Kumar Mahanta as per provisions of the organization’s rules.
The second resolution also condemned Janardan Devagoswami for representing ASM as a spokesperson of ASM in spite of the fact that he was not an office bearer of the organization and thereby not authorized to represent ASM.
In this context his role was severely condemned by the Jorhat branch for favoring the proposed Bill and the Central Committee has been advised that legal action be taken against him.
The third resolution sought expulsion of Kusum Mahanta from the organization by the Central Committee.
The fourth resolution demanded that the Central Committee call a public meeting at the ASM headquarters here to clarify the stand of the Mahasabha.
The Jorhat branch further demanded that a steering committee meeting and executive committee meeting of ASM be held within the next three days and a strong stand taken to oppose issue of settling illegal Hindu Bangladeshi migrants in Assam in the greater interest of the Assamese community.
Goswami said that he would be attending the steering committee meeting of ASM convened at 1pm in Guwahati tomorrow.
The last resolution urged the Central Committee of ASM to withdraw and cancel the submission made by Kusum Mahanta and the two others.