Assam's Opposition parties seek meeting with PM Modi on CAA, warn of 'volatile situation' upon rollout
GUWAHATI: The 16-party United Opposition Forum of Assam (UOFA) has sought an appointment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to appraise him of the ground situation arising out of Union home minister Amit Shah’s recent statement that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) would be implemented before the Lok Sabha elections.
A letter, signed by Assam Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah and Assam Jatiya Parishad chief Lurinjyoti Gogoi and addressed to the PM, said the people of Assam, political parties and various stakeholders had opposed CAA from the day it was introduced in Parliament.
It pointed out that five persons were killed and many others injured in Assam during the protests against CAA in December 2019 and the early part of 2020.
“As responsible opposition political parties, we are duty-bound to raise the voices of people. There is a strong perception among the people of Assam, irrespective of caste, creed and political affiliation, that CAA will put in danger the culture, history, socio-economic condition, social fabric and identity of the Assamese people,” the letter read.
Moreover, it added, the Act would nullify the historic Assam Accord of 1985, regarded as the lifeline of the Assamese people.
The Assam Accord, signed between the Centre and the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) in 1985 at the end of the six-year-long bloody Assam Agitation, says the illegal immigrants, who entered Assam after March 25, 1971, are to be detected and deported. CAA will ensure citizenship to non-Muslim immigrants who entered India till December 31, 2014.
“We, a delegation from UOFA, deem it very urgent to appraise you the volatile situation likely to arise in Assam in the coming days in the event of CAA’s implementation and seek your intervention to address this most sensitive issue for which we want an appointment with you at the earliest according to your convenience,” the letter read.
It said if the PM was willing, the leaders of UOFA could meet him during his proposed two-day visit to Assam beginning on March 8.
An atmosphere of protest is building up in the state against the contentious Act with AASU and 30 other organisations threatening to hit the streets. The anti-CAA mood prompted the police to sound an alert.
The opposition parties have sought an appointment with Modi at the earliest, proposing to meet him during his scheduled visit to the state on March 8-9.
This comes against the backdrop of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's recent comments that the CAA rules would be notified and implemented before the Lok Sabha elections.
The letter mentioned the protests against the CAA in 2019–20, before the outbreak of COVID-19 in the state, during which five people were killed and several others injured.
The UOFA had last week announced that a state-wide bandh will be called the very next day the contentious Act comes into force, followed by 'gherao' of state secretariat Janata Bhawan.
It had also submitted a memorandum to President Droupadi Murmu, saying they would undertake a "democratic mass movement" across the state if the CAA is not repealed.
Other organisations have also announced that they will begin protests demanding the repeal of the Act.
The All Assam Students' Union (AASU) and 30 other groups have announced a series of programmes, including a 12-hour fast in all districts on March 9 during the scheduled visit of the PM.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has asked those opposing the CAA to approach the Supreme Court for redressal of their grievance rather than taking up agitations.
When the rules for the CAA are notified, the Modi government will start granting Indian citizenship to persecuted Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who have entered the country until December 31, 2014.
(With inputs from PTI)