Law student to lead Indian govt

Press, 24 December 1985, Page 6

Law student to lead Indian govt

NZPA-AP Gauhati, Assam The 32-year-old student leader of a six-year antiimmigrant protest movement will be sworn in today as Assam’s Chief Minister making him India’s youngest chief State minister. He said ft that; his: new . Government would expel all aliens from the oil-rich north-eastern Indian state,; Prafulla Kkmar Mahanta, a masters of law student of Gauhati University, was elected on Sunday by his youth-led party to head the new state government. The son of a school teacher, Mr Mahanta will be the first student head of a state government in the country. The Asom Gana Parishad (Assam People’s Council) was elected in last week’s special state ballot toppling . the governing Congress (I) Party. Mr Mahanta is Par-

ishad’s president. Mr Mahanta, until recently president of the AllAssam Students Union, led a violent protest demanding the disfranchisement : and ‘ deportation of more, than; one million illegal immi- . ...grants from* neighbouring Bangladesh. More than 4000 people were - killed in ft the nrotest ft .ft' ft':' '■■' ft The ft ft native Assamese complain that the refugee . influx threatens to, swamp them’ culturally and economically. ’ ' The Parishad was formed three months ago by the anti-immigrant agitators after they signed a: settlement with the Prime Minister, Mr Rajiv Gaiidhi, in New Delhi, .on Indian Independence - Day, which calls for, the expulsion, of illegal sellers who entered Assam after the Bangladesh war of independence in 197 L <