Assam will be Pushed into 'Darkness' if Regional Parties Work for BJP: Anti-CAB Forum

Guwahati, November 23, 2019:

Forum Against Citizenship Act Amendment Bill (FACAAB), an indigenous organisation of Assam, has alleged that the secret relations of the regional organisations with the BJP will push the Assamese community into ‘darkness’.

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The Anti-CAB forum has also called upon the people of Assam to unite against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill which is to be tabled in the winter session of the Parliament.

Addressing the media, renowned intellectual Hiren Gohain said that the government’s move to give citizenship on the grounds of one’s religion is against the Indian Constitution. “Giving citizenship to a person due to religious persecution in their country cannot be accepted. A refugee can be provided with a place to reside but he/she cannot be given citizenship,” he said.

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Gohain also added that Assam will not take the burden of illegal migrants that the centre is planning in the name of Citizenship Bill. “Accepting the illegal immigrants will bring immense economic crisis in the state as it lacks adequate food and shelter for its own people. Moreover, such migration give rise to communal clashes,” he added.

On the other hand, veteran journalist, Manjit Mahanta said that due to mass agitations in Assam, the Centre was unable to amend the Citizenship Bill last time but this time they are certainly trying to bring the Bill back in the name of a freshly drafted one.

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Mahanta alleged that many regional organizations who are secretly involved with the BJP are trying to push the people of Assam into ‘deep darkness’. He urged the regional organizations to save the ‘Assamese community’.

Slamming the Sonowal Government for its support to the CAB, Manjit Mahanta said, “Assam is called the ‘Big Brother’ of North Eastern states, but CM Sarbananda Sonowal cannot even be called the youngest brother for his action”.

He lauded the CMs of Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Mizoram for their stand against Citizenship Bill. Taking a dig at the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) chief Atul Bora over his silence, Mahanta said that the party has betrayed the people of Assam by supporting the BJP’s move to implement the Bill.

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Renowned writer and former Assam DGP, Hare Krishna Deka, who also attended the press conference, mentioned that the Bill violates Clause 5 of the Assam Accord which was signed after six years of mass agitation. “The 2011 census indicates that the size of indigenous communities is constantly decreasing, whereas some particular communities from Bangladesh are increasing in Assam. This in return is leading to serious threat to the people,” he added.

Deka also mentioned that although the people of Assam are fighting against the Bill separately, they should rather come together and form one massive group to oppose the bill.

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