The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) on Monday filed two separate writ petitions in the Supreme Court challenging the constitutional validity of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
AGP general secretary Ramendra Narayan Kalita filed a writ petition on behalf of the party and former Rajya Sabha MP of the party, Deepak Das filed another writ petition separately.
“We were told that the protection of rights and identity of the indigenous people of Assam will be highlighted in the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB), but nothing was mentioned there!” Das told Northeast Now.
He said the party felt betrayed by the BJP.
Also read: AGP may withdraw support from BJP govt: Prafulla Mahanta
“We will neither accept the Act nor will accept the betrayal,” said Das.
He also said his party will explore all options including snapping its ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Assam.
“We are an ally of the NDA but the situation has again forced us to give a rethink on our ties with the BJP,” said Das.
In January, the AGP snapped its ties with the BJP opposing the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB).
Admitting the fact that AGP’s lone MP in the Rajya Sabha Biren Baisya voting in favour of the CAB, Das said, “We were told that the interests of Assam would be looked in the bill… but nothing was mentioned.”
Former Assam chief minister and senior AGP leader Prafulla Kumar Mahanta also hinted at snapping ties with the BJP over the CAA.
The CAB became an Act after President Ram Nth Kovind gave his assent to the bill on December 12.