3. Movements against outsiders

The migration of people from other part of the country to the North-east region has created lots of problem and increased the tension between 'locals' and 'outsiders'.

The migrant people were seen as encroachers, who would snatch away their scarce resources like land, employment opportunities and political power and render the local population without their legitimate due. To drive away the outsiders from the region was the main aim of the Assam Movement from 1975 to 1985. The main targets were Bengali Muslim settlers from Bangladesh. In 1979 the All Assam student's union (AASU), a

student’s group not related to any political party, led an anti-foreigner movement. Their area of focus was illegal migration, domination of Bengali and other outsiders, against faulty voter’s registration of lakhs of immigrants. AASU members used both non-violent and violent methods. Their violent agitation took human lives and damaged lots of properties.

After 6 years of violent turmoil, the then PM, Rajiv Gandhi negotiated with AASU leaders. Both the sides (Union Govt and AASU) signed the Assam Accord in 1985. According this accord, the foreigners who migrated into Assam during and after Bangladesh war, were to be identified and deported. With the success of signing this accord, the AASU and Assam Gana Sangram Parishad came together, formed their political party, Assam Gana Parishad, won the Assembly elections in 1985 with the promise of resolving the foreign national problem and make Assam a "Golden Assam". However the problem of immigration hasn't been resolved yet, but it brought peace to some extent.