Debabrata Saikia urges AASU to lead strong opposition against CAA, citing threat to Assam Accord

Leader of the Opposition in Assam, Debabrata Saikia, has written to the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), urging the influential students’ body to mount a robust opposition against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Saikia argued that the law undermines the Assam Accord and poses serious risks to the state’s socio-political stability.

In his letter, Saikia accused the BJP-led central government of moving ahead with the implementation of the CAA in a manner that disregards Assam’s historical agreement and legal safeguards. He alleged that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has instructed district officials and senior police personnel to withdraw cases against individuals from Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Pakistan—belonging to Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, Sikh, Parsi, and Jain communities—before December 31, 2024. This, he warned, would pave the way for them to seek Indian citizenship.

Saikia cautioned that such a move could potentially grant citizenship to nearly five lakh foreigners who fall outside the framework of the Assam Accord, including about 69,500 people already declared foreign nationals by the Foreigners’ Tribunals.

Reiterating the provisions of the Assam Accord, he stressed that only those who entered Assam on or before March 24, 1971, can be considered Indian citizens. He also recalled the widespread protests during the Centre’s earlier bid to enact the CAA, where five demonstrators lost their lives during violent crackdowns.

While acknowledging the humanitarian aspect of aiding persecuted minorities in neighbouring countries, Saikia underlined that Assam’s limited land and resources cannot sustain additional populations without severely impacting indigenous communities. Granting citizenship to refugees in Assam, he said, would deepen economic and demographic strains, posing a long-term threat to the state’s sustainability.

Outlining his demands, Saikia called upon AASU to:

Build strong public opinion and mobilize mass opposition against the CAA.

Ensure adherence to the Assam Accord’s cut-off date of March 24, 1971.

Protect the state’s land and resources by excluding Assam from the ambit of the CAA.

Prevent historical distortions from being used as justification for granting citizenship in Assam.

Concluding his appeal, Saikia urged AASU to prioritize Assam’s public interest, resist violations of the Accord, and take the lead in mobilizing collective sentiment against the implementation of the CAA.