LIVE | Assam police 'order' Opposition parties to withdraw stir against CAA, warn of action
The 16-party United Opposition Forum, Assam (UOFA) has called a statewide hartal to protest against the implementation of the CAA
The Assam police have issued notices to opposition parties "ordering" them to "withdraw" the hartal over the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act or CAA and warned that "legal action" will be taken against them if they fail to follow the diktat, officials said on Tuesday.
The 16-party United Opposition Forum, Assam (UOFA) has called a statewide hartal to protest against the implementation of the CAA.
"It has come to the notice of the undersigned from the Press Note dated 11th March, 2024 released by 'United Opposition Forum' that you and your organization have called for 'Sarbatmak Hartal' in Assam on 12th March, 2024 from 6 am to 6 pm. Whereas, as a result of the 'Sarbatmak Hartal', there is every likelihood of breach of peace and security leading to disruption of normal life of peace loving citizens in the state," said the identical legal notices, dated March 11, sent to the office-bearers of different parties.
"Further, calling of such 'Sarbatmak Hartal' will lead to Highway and Railway Track Blockade, which has been declared as illegal and unconstitutional by various judgements of Hon'ble Supreme Court of India, Hon'ble Kerala High Court as well as Hon'ble Gauhati High Court," it added.
The notices "ordered" the parties to withdraw the hartal and co-operate in maintaining peace in the state.
"...failing which legal action will be taken against you in your personal capacity. Further, be known that in case there is any damage to public/private property including Railway and National Highway properties or injury to any citizen caused due to 'Sarbatmak Hartal', legal action under appropriate provisions of law... will be initiated against you and the total cost of damage to public and private properties will be recovered from you and your Organization," it said.
The notices were shared by Director-General of Police GP Singh on social media.
In a post on X, he said that the notices were served by the police to ensure there is no damage to public property and risk to the lives of the people by any agitation in the state.
Meanwhile, no untoward incident has been reported in the state so far, police said. Security has been tightened with additional deployment of police personnel. All police stations have been put on alert, patrolling has been intensified and check-posts have been set up on major thoroughfares in most towns of the state, including Guwahati which witnessed violent protests over the issue in December 2019, they said.
Nationality to non-Muslim migrants
Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the Centre on Monday (March 11) announced the implementation of the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 for granting citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who came to India before December 31, 2014.
With the CAA rules being issued, the Modi government will now start granting Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants — Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians — from the three countries.
The CAA was passed in December 2019 and subsequently got the president's assent but there were protests in several parts of the country against it. The law could not come into effect as rules had not been notified till now.
Live Updates
- 11 March 2024 7:55 PM IST
Meant to target Muslims, no other purpose: Owaisi
AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi has called the CAA divisive and based on Godse’s thought that “wanted to reduce Muslims to second-class citizens”.
The Hyderabad MP alleged along with NPR-NRC, CAA is meant to only target Muslims and it serves no other purpose.
“Understand the chronology. First the election season will come, next will be the CAA rules,” he said.
“Indians who came out on the streets to oppose CAA NPR NRC will have no choice but to oppose it again,” Owaisi said in a post on X, while stating that his objections to CAA remain the same.
Batting for asylum for “anyone who is persecuted”, he said citizenship must not be based on religion or nationality.
- 11 March 2024 7:50 PM IST
'When citizens have to move out...': Akhilesh's post on CAA
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has attacked the Centre for notifying CAA rules, terming it as BJP’s game of distraction.
He also said the BJP government at the Centre should also explain why lakhs of citizens gave up their citizenship of the country during their 10-year rule.
Yadav wondered when the citizens of the country are forced to leave abroad for livelihood, what purpose would implementing the citizenship law serve for others.
“When the citizens of the country are forced to go out for livelihood, then what will happen by bringing ‘citizenship law’ for others? The public has now understood the BJP's game of politics of distraction,” Yadav wrote in a post on X in Hindi.
“The BJP government should explain why lakhs of citizens gave up their citizenship of the country during their 10 years of rule. No matter what happens tomorrow you have to give account of ‘Electoral Bond’ and then also of the ‘care fund’,” Yadav added. - 11 March 2024 7:44 PM IST
Security beefed up in Assam
Security has been tightened across Assam with additional deployment of police personnel following the announcement of the implementation of the CAA.
All police stations have been put on an alert and barricades have been set up in major thoroughfares in almost all the towns of the state, including Guwahati, officials said.
Patrolling has been intensified in the sensitive areas with opposition parties announcing that they would launch protests against the notification of the rules.
The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) has also announced that it would burn copies of the CAA, take out torch-light processions and launch a “satyagraha” against the notification of the rules.
Earlier, Assam Police had cancelled the long leaves of its personnel till the election process was over and also in anticipation of CAA notification.
In December 2019, the protests against the Act were led primarily by the AASU and the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS).
The protests had turned violent with five persons losing their lives to police firing and the arrest of KMSS leader Akhil Gogoi along with four others, to be called off only with the onset of the pandemic.
It subsequently led to the creation of two new political parties in the state-the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), led by then AASU leader Lurinjyoti Gogoi and the Raijor Dal, headed by Akhil Gogoi.
- 11 March 2024 7:40 PM IST
Pakistani Hindu refugees in Delhi elated
Pakistani Hindu refugees residing in Delhi expressed hope and happiness on the implementation of the CAA on Monday, saying they are elated that “we will be called Indian citizens finally”.
Dharamveer Solanki, who is considered the chief of the Pakistani Hindu refugee community in Delhi, told PTI that around 500 from the community will receive citizenship now.
“My family and I have been waiting for this for over a decade now. We are extremely happy that finally we will be called Indian citizens now. I am glad I decided to return to my homeland in 2013,” Solanki said.
“It feels like a huge burden has been lifted from our shoulders. With the implementation of this act, around 500 Pakistani Hindu refugee families who live here, will get citizenship,” Solanki told PTI.
- 11 March 2024 7:38 PM IST
Won't be implemented in Kerala: CM Vijayan
Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan has described CAA as a law that creates division along communal lines and affirmed that it will not be put into effect in the southern state.
“The government has repeatedly stated that the Citizenship Amendment Act, which treats Muslim minorities as second-class citizens, will not be implemented in Kerala. That remains the position. All of Kerala will stand united in opposing this communally divisive law,” Vijayan said in a statement.
