189 Resolution re. Procla- [10 JUN 1980] under Article 356 190 mation have a peaceful discussion. That will be better. SHRI ERA SEZHIYAN: Sir, when the Minister gives his reply, he should take this aspect into account. THE VICE-CHAIRMAN (SHRI A. G. KULKARNI): Thank you very much. Mr. Goswami. STATUTORY RESOLUTION SEEK- ING APPROVAL OF PROCLA- MATION ISSUED UNDER ARTI- REFERENCE TO THE DHARNA CLE 356 OF THE CONSTITUTION STAGED BY SOME MEMBERS OF IN RELATION TO STATE OF THE ASSAM LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY ASSAM—Contd. NEAR THE BOAT CLUB IN NEW DELHI SHRI DINESH GOSWAMI (Assam): Mr. Vice-Chairman, Sir, since yester- day we have been discussing a very SHRI ERA SEZHIYAN (Tamil important matter which is agitating the Nadu): Mr. Vice-Chairman, I thank minds of the people all over the you for having given me an opport- country. A number of participants unity to raise a very important matter from both the sides have spoken about in the House. Sir, we are aware of the genuine demand of the people oi Government's attitude of enormous Assam. Sir on behalf of the people of complacency and indecision with re- Assam, I wish to offer our heart-felt gard to the situation in Assam which is thanks to those who have supported defying a just solution. I have to our cause in this moment of crisis. We have also heard some other speeches, invite the attention of the House to the 'dharna' that has been staged by and when I listened to those speeches, 25 MLAs of Assam, led by the Leader my mind went back to 1962, 18 years back, when the Chinese came to of the Opposition. Here is a batch of legislators belonging to Assam who our foot-hills in Assam. One sudden have come all the way to Delhi p.nd evening we were faced with a situat- they are staging a 'dharna'. Their ion that there was no defence on the prime demand; is an early solution of eastern border of Assam and that the the Assam problem. Indian army had decided to leave Assam at the mercy of the Chinese THE VICE-CHAIRMAN (SHRI A. Army and they have decided to with- G. KULARNI); That we are discuss- draw. On the AU India Radio we ing. heard bidding farewell of the then SHRI ERA SEZHIYAN: But one Prime Minister to the people of Assam. special feature of this 'dharna' by I also listened to some speeches saying these legislators is that they are not that this movement was of the type able to function as legislators. There- of a Nazi movement. They used all fore, they demand that either the As- sorts of words against the people of sembly should be dissolved or it should Assam. If this is the attitude towards be activised, enabling them to func- the people of Assam, and if we cannot tion. This is the specific demand of make our anguish felt to the nation these legislators led by tne Leader of on a problem which, according to the the Opposition. Government is the problem of the THE VICE-CHAIRMAN (SHRI A.G. nation has this chamber any relevance KULKARNI): You should request them to withdraw the agitation and 191 Resolution re. Procla- [RAJYA SABHA] under Article 356 192 mation (Shri Dinesh Goswami.) pared to the national average of 21.64 per cent. From 1961 to 1971, the to me? Do you think that the people population increase has been of the of Assam, when they will go through order of 34.95 per cent compared to these speeches, will treat these lightly? 24.16 per cent national average with Some of the speeches unfortunately the result that there has been an have taken the negotiating table fur- excess population of the order of ther away. If the matter has not 24,60,209 in Assam where the popula- been resolved on the negotiating table, tion is just more than a crore. In one of the prime reasons is that there between 1970 and 1979, there has been is a crisis of confidence in the Gov- an increase of 28 lakh voters whereas ernment because for the last 30 years in the earlier 12 or 13 years the the people of Assam including the increase was only 12 lakhs represent- Members of ruling Congress Party ing an annual increase of one lakh raised this question times without per year. But between 1970 and 1979, number and the successive Prime during the last 9 years. 28 lakh voters Ministers beginning from Pandit have increased. Whereas this increase Jawaharlal Nehru, Shri Lal Bahadur in the population has taken place in Shastri, Shrimati Indira Gandhi and Assam, there has been a correspond- Shri Morarji Desai assured us that this ing decrease in the population of the problem will be tackled, tackled and then East Pakistan or present Bangla- tackled. But nothing has been done desh. May I point out in this context so far. Therefore, in a moment of one thing? I want to share certain crisis when a wrong step may lead information with this House which I to the secessation of the entire North- will quote from a particular source v the authority of which I will give Eastern region from India, we a e try- ing to make our anguish felt by the later on. It says: nation at large. Sir, when I had a discussion in the morning with one of "Tell-Tale Figures: The popula- the Lady Members who has come tion of Pakistan as a whole increas- from Himachal Pradesh and who has ed by 23.7 per cent during 1951—61, brought some of the colour of Simla but the population of East Pakistan to this House, she said that when she rose only by 20.9 per cent. went to Gauhati jn the last Indian National Congress Session, she did not hear a word about this problem. May What accounts for this difference? I ask that lady Member: Did you find any sign or even a hint of Lower fertility in East Pakistan animosity there? Is it that suddenly as compared to West Pakistan? the peace-loving people of Assam, There is no scientific support for over the last few years, have become this view. barbaric and that they have changed their attitude? If we are fighting Constant and successful pressure today for a cause it is because on the on the Hindu minority in East decision that the Government of India Pakistan to migrate to India? will take, probably the entire future of the North-Eastern region will depend. Mr. Ramamurti has joined Infiltration by the Muslim popu- issues with us when he said that the lation of East Pakistan into the question of foreigners has been blown border Indian States of Assam, out of proportion. May I give some West Bengal and Tripura? figures as to what is really the extent of foreigners in the North-Eastern There is overwhelming evidence region. In Assam, the population —oral, visual and documentary—in increase from 1951 to 1961 has been support of the last two explana- to the en tent of 34.98 per cent com- tions." 193 Resolution re. Procla- [10 JUN 1980] under Article 356 194 mation It continu** to conclude further: the then Prime Minister, Lal Bahadur "Neither the very young nor the Shastri, to this menace. Again we very old can afford to indulge in were assured that things will be taken the adventure of migration to fore- care of. And Mr. Ramamurti says ign land. It is from the age group that we have blown it out of propor- 15—59 that the bulk of illegal immi- tion. We know Mr. Ramamurti may grants into Assam, West Bengal and have a particular political motivation Tripura have come. It is significant because when the Chinese dragon that in the Pakistan census figures marched into Assam in 1962, these this age group should record the people welcomed the red flag as minimum growth rate in the 8 dis- according to them a new liberation tricts from which the immigrants was to come to the North-Eastern originate. The Table below gives Region. And Mr. Ramamurti wants the relevant figures taken from to teach the people of Assam about Pakistans Census figures. Sir, I am not going national integration. Who has stood into the details of the Table. I further by the rest of this country in the quote: "In Noakhali, apparentlyj there moments of peril of 1962? Who has was not only no increase of popula- stood by the rest of this country in tion in 10 years in respect of the age the moments of peril of 1971 or of group 15—59; there was in fact a 1965. Who has stood by the rest of decrease by 5.5 per cent. This is a the country even when the country demographical absurdity but a sta- left us at lurch in 1962. Are we to tistical fact. Sylhet (which adjoins listen to the lessons of national integ- Indian territory on either side and rity from my friend, Mr. Ramamurti? from where the largest number of Mr. Ramamurti has admitted that in immigrants have penetrated into Tripura, the Tripuris were two-thirds Assam and Tripura) showed an of the population and today they have increase of only 5.9 per cent." been reduced to one-third. And And this concludes by saying that this Mr. Ramamurti says, "we want to lack of growth in Pakistan can only give them protection under the Sixth be explained by the resultant increase Schedule." You just reduced them in India because there was migration into a minority, and you talk about to Assam.