What is meant by non-party movements? Describe the main features of such movements.

Or

Describe the development of Assam Movement from 1979 onwards. State the main provision of the agreement made with Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1985.

Non-Party Movements: Many of the politically active groups lost faith in existing democratic institutions and electoral politics. They, therefore chose to step outside party politics and engage in mass mobilization for registering their protest. Because of the voluntary nature of their social work, many of these organisations came to be known as voluntary organisations or voluntary sector organizations. Most of these groups believed in politics and want to participate in it but not through political parties.

Hence, these movements organised by them are called, ‘Non-party Movements’.

Their features:

(i) They remain outside party politics.

(ii) They do not contest elections.

(iii) They continue to work in rural and urban areas.

(iv) Of late, many of them are funded by external agencies including international service agencies.

(v) Ideals of local initiatives is weakened by the availability of external funds on a large scale to these organizations.
                                                              Or
In 1979, the All Assam students‟ Union (AASU), a students’ group not affliated to any party led an anti-foreigner movement. The movement was against illegal migrations, against domination of Bengalis and other outsiders, and against faulty voters’ register that included the names of lakhs of imigrants. The movement demanded that all outsiders who had entered the state after 1951 should be sent back. This agitation followed many novel methods and mobilized all sections of Assamese people, drawing support across the state. It also involved many tragic and violent incidents leading to loss of property and human lives. The movement also tried to blockade the movement of trains and the supply of oil from Assam to refineries in Bihar.

The provisions: According to the agreement with Rajiv Gandhi, those foreigners who migrated into Assam during and after the Bangladesh war and since, were to be identified and deported.