Assam’s Udalguri district also joined the state-wide protest against implementation of the controversial citizenship bill.
Several indigenous organizations like the Tangla unit of All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), took out a massive protest rally demanding scrapping of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 in Tangla on Monday.
The massive protest rally taken throughout Tangla town starting from Tangla High School playground was joined in unison by the people irrespective of caste, community and religion.
Several other organisations including the All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU), All Koch Rajbongshi Students’ Union (AKRSU), All Rabha Students’ Union (ARSU), All Assam Gorkha Students’ Union (AAGSU), All Adivasi Students’ Association of Assam (AASAA) among others representing various ethnic groups of the State joined the protest programme.
Addressing the rally, AASU assistant general secretary, Jayanta Kr Bhattacharya demanded that both the Central and State Governments would have to protect the interest of indigenous people in the State as their identity and security were being threatened by Bangladeshi intruders.
He stated that neither Hindu nor Muslim illegal migrants from Bangladesh would be allowed to be brought into the State through the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.
The student leader further said Assam would not bear the burden of migrants after 1971 irrespective of the religion affiliations of the immigrants.
He further stated that since independence, the successive governments at the Centre has always shown step-motherly attitude and neglected the core issues of the State.
Udalguri AASU general secretary, Saiful Haque warned that the people of the State would never compromise on their decades-long demand for detection and deportation of infiltrators who illegally migrated to the State from Bangladesh after March 25, 1971, the deadline set by the historic Assam Accord in 1985.
He said that the conspiracy to dump Hindu migrants from Bangladesh in Assam would not be allowed and the clauses of Assam Accord should be implemented in letter and spirit.
Addressing the gathering of nearly 10,000 people including school students, ABSU vice-president, Dipen Boro reiterated the stand of the students’ body which has been unanimously supported the scrapping of the bill.
He said that the saffron party was voted to power with overwhelming majority to ensure that they could provide governance with a change and solve the long standing problems that the State and the people have been facing.
The call of the election was – Jati, Mati, Bheti. The elected government promised the electorates that it will safeguard the identity of the Assamese nationality (Jati), the land of the state (Mati) and the foundation of Assamese nationalism (Bheti).
He further observed that the nationalism of the people is at a threat.
Boro lambasting Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh for supporting the bill exhorted that the Chief Minister of Assam, Sarbananda Sonowal to show exemplary courage and clear his stand.
He lauded the Meghalaya government for withdrawing its support from passing the bill.
Others who spoke included ARSU, organizing secretary Jayanta Rabha, vice president of AKRSU, Dibyojyoti Kumar Deka who in their speeches said that in 2016 Assembly election the political leaders were viewed as saviours of the people but now they are taking the stance of traitors.
They lambasted the divisive politics on religion lines by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).