Assam Oppn flays Centre

Opposition parties in Assam have flayed the BJP government at the Centre for implementing the contentious CAA.

The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), which launched a six-year agitation demanding the identification and deportation of illegal immigrants in 1979, said it will fight legally against the Centre’s move.

Congress LoP in Assam Assembly, Debabrata Saikia, termed the notification of CAA as “unfortunate”.

“When Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP had been saying since 2016 that all illegal foreigners will have to leave Assam, they betrayed the people of the state and brought in the CAA,” Saikia told PTI.

The people of Assam will make the PM and the BJP answerable for it, he added.

Raijor Dal President and MLA Akhil Gogoi said, “The process to legitimise 15-20 lakh Bangladeshi Hindus illegally living in Assam has begun. There is no other way but to come out on the street and protest against this unconstitutional act.”

Assam and several other northeastern states had witnessed protests after the BJP-led government at the Centre moved towards amending the citizenship act.

A section of the people of the region were scared that if the CAA is implemented, it would endanger their identity and livelihood.

“This is Delhi’s attack on Assam and the entire country. We appeal to all to come out and protest against this law peacefully and democratically,” Gogoi told PTI.

“Assam’s long struggle against illegal immigration has been nullified with just this one act. This act will also open the doors for 1.7 crore Hindus living in Bangladesh to cross over to Assam. There is no other option but to fight against this act with full force. It has to be an all-encompassing protest,” he said.

Chief advisor of AASU and North East Students’ Organisation Samujjal Bhattacharjya told PTI that the AASU will not accept the CAA and will continue to protest against it.

“We are already in talks with our advocates and will continue our legal fight against its implementation,” he said.

Meanwhile, BJP Senior Spokesperson Rupam Goswami welcomed the notification of the rules of the CAA as “this was much awaited”.

“There was a misinformation campaign by the Opposition that crores of Hindus from Bangladesh would enter Assam after the law was passed by Parliament, but nothing of that sort has happened,” Goswami said.