GUWAHATI: The Centre has stirred a hornet’s nest by implementing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).
While the protestors in Assam burnt copies of CAA notification in some places the police sounded a high alert across the state in the wake of the fresh protests.
The anti-CAA protests in 2019 had left five persons dead.
Led by the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), 30 organisations gave a call to people to put up a united fight against the controversial Act while the 16-party Opposition alliance announced a non-cooperation movement from Tuesday.
The AASU said the “dictatorial” BJP government at the Centre imposed CAA by taking advantage of its strength in Parliament.
“CAA will spell doom for the indigenous people of Assam as well as the Northeast,” AASU president Utpal Sarma warned.
He said if Assam were to take the burden of the illegal migrants, who entered the state on December 31, 2014, it would endanger the culture, language and existence of the indigenous people.
“We reject CAA. We will take to the streets against it and challenge it in a court,” Sarma said.
The Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chhatra Parishad (AJYCP), which re-launched the anti-CAA protests along with some other organisations recently, condemned the Centre’s decision and threatened to intensify the agitation.
“Who on earth will allow illegal migrants to take over one’s land? We will not relent and stand up together to fight it out. We will intensify the protests from tomorrow (Tuesday). We cannot allow the Hindu Bangladeshis to be dumped on the Assamese,” AJYCP leader Palash Changmai said.
Activist-turned-MLA Akhil Gogoi, who had been at the forefront of the anti-CAA protests in 2019, appealed to people to put up a united fight.
“CAA is an assault on the Assamese community,” Gogoi said, adding, “CAA is nothing but the Centre’s attack on the Assamese. The BJP is attacking Assam in the name of CAA the way the Mughals did. I appeal to people to come out and democratically protest.”
The Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), born out of the anti-CAA protests, said CAA legitimized the rights of illegal migrants over the land, language and culture of the Assamese.
“Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his predecessor Sarbananda Sonowal took votes by committing to protect the Assamese and their land but failed to prevent the Centre from implementing this black law,” AJP chief Lurinjyoti Gogoi said.
The Congress said CAA is against the spirit of the Assam Accord signed in 1985 between Centre and AASU after a six-year-long bloody agitation.
“The Assam Accord says only those, who entered India and Assam illegally till March 24, 1971, will be considered as Indians. CAA says anyone who came upto December 31, 2014 will become Indian citizens and they can stay in Assam, buy land, property and enjoy all facilities,” Congress leader Debabrata Saikia said.
“Ahead of 2014 polls, Modiji stated that the illegal immigrants would be driven out of the country after May 16 when he would become the Prime Minister. It is unfortunate that after serving in the post for 10 years, he is now allowing the illegal immigrants to come to Assam and enjoy all benefits as Indian citizens,” Saikia lamented.