Assam Gorkhas Demand Exemption of State from Purview of C(A)A

Guwahati, December 21, 2019:

Gorkha organisations of Assam -- Gorkha Sammelan and the Assam unit of national federation of Gorkhas in India - the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangha and State unit of Bharatiya Gorkha Mahila Parisangha (BhaGoMaP) on Saturday demanded the Government to exempt the Government from the purview of the Citizenship Amendment Act.

Explaining this Bhaskar Dahal, General Secretary of Assam Gorkha Sammelan, said, 'C(A)A 2019 will invite threat to indigenous Gorkhas of Assam as a constituent community of Greater Assamese community'.

'This Act will not only change the demography of Assam, but will adversely affect official Assamese language, communities' cultural assimilation, arts and literature, and finally challenge the constitutional protection by new settlers as committed in Assam Accord', he said.

Prakash Dahal, General Secretary of Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangha, State Committee said, 'Assam Accord is a national commitment by Government of India to the people of Assam and Clause 6 which guarantees constitutional protection of indigenous communities should be implemented even before C(A)A 2019 is notified nationwide.

It needs to noted that Gorkhas participated in Anti CAA Jan Andolan and Gana Satyagraha spontaneously since it began and expressed unconditional solidarity and support to the movement.

Elaborating Gorkha’s stand on Clause 6 of  the Accord, Prakash Dahal said, 'Gorkhas too need constitutional protection as one of the constituent indigenous communities under Clause 6 of the historic Assam Accord where several Gorkha youths laid down their lives. We have submitted a joint representation from all Gorkha CSOs and noted personalities before the Empowered Committee and would request them to honour our demands for our safeguard as enshrined in Indian constitution'.

Bharatiya Gorkha Mahila Parisangha, State president Laxmi Subedi said, 'Gorkha women folk and artistes too have participated in Anti CAA 2019 Jan Andolan and Gana Satyagraha and we stand with people of Assam. The press meet was also addressed by BGP Assam state president N N Upadhyay.

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