AASU warns of agitation over Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016

Guwahati: The All Assam Students Union (AASU) on Saturday threatened to launch a sustained movement to foil the central government`s attempt to make make minority communities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan eligible for Indian citizenship.

The minority communities include Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians.

The powerful students` body took a resolution in this regard during a public consultation with prominent citizens and intellectuals on Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and said that they would oppose the move tooth and nail.

It may be mentioned here that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, after being introduced in the Lok Sabha, was referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee of both the Houses, under the chairmanship of Satyapal Singh for examination and presenting a report to the Parliament.

"An AASU delegation delegation will meet Joint Parliamentary Committee on October 25 and put forward our objections and views. The Assam Accord has legal recognition and any attempt to nullify the same will be opposed tooth and nail," said AASU adviser Samujjal Bhattacharyya.

Reiterating the stand of the students` body, Bhattacharyya said a small state like Assam had taken the burden of foreigners till 1971.

"According to the Assam Accord, the cut-off date for detection and deportation of foreigners is March 25, 1971. It must be respected and Hindus or Muslims -- whoever came after the cut-off date must be detected and deported," he said.

"We will not accept any foreigner post 1971 be it be Hindu or Muslim," he said.

The students` body announced that it soon announce agitation in the lines of the Assam Agitation (1979-85) opposing the bill.

It may be mentioned here that the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) also constituted a committee under the chairmanship of former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi to examine the entire ramifications of the proposed amendment of the Citizenship Act and submit a report to AICC for formulating the party`s policy on the issue.

The committee will submit its report by October 31 this year.

APCC stated that the accord was accepted nationally and internationally and alleged that the proposed amendment in the citizenship act is likely to harm the age old communal harmony and social fabric of Assam.