The impasse of Khilonjia identity in Assam

Abstract

After a six-year long student agitation led by All Assam Students' Union (AASU) the Government of India signed an Assam Accord on 15th August 1985 which ensured to initiate the process of identification of illegal immigrants and their subsequent deportation from India. In order to give effect to this task, the National Register of Citizens needed to be updated. However even after thrity years the clauses of the Accord was not implemented in letter and spirit bringing about much social turmoil that saw the death of hundreds and thousands of ill fated victims. Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty through her work explores the entire history that exposes the failure of the government machinaries, the malafide intention of the various political parties and the suffering of the Assamese people. This review analyses threadbare the variuos dimensions that the books opens up.