PATACHARKUCHI, Feb 11 - With the participation of several thousand protesters, including students of various institutions, a massive rally was organised by AASU, AJYCP and 30 other ethnic organisations in protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act-2019 on Satuday last in the playground of the newly-created Bhattadev University in the erstwhile campus of Bajali College.
Termed as Bajra Ninaad, it was organised under the aegis of Barpeta district AASU and Bajali district unit of AJYCP in cooperation with several organisations and people of the locality. The rally was addressed by various leaders of the organising student bodies, noted artistes and others. Tight security arrangement was done by the administration during the rally.
Addressing the mass rally, Dr Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharya asked Narendra Modi why the same CAA is not good for inner-line permit areas and 6th Schedule areas, but suitable for other areas, he asked and said that the mass agitation will be a long-drawn one.
He also asked the Prime Minister why the Indo-Bangla border has not been sealed till this moment. During his speech, he also alleged that the Prime Minister dishonoured the historic Assam Accord by not showing any interest in discussion during the last six years. Most of the promises uttered by the Prime Minister remain in paper only and are yet to be implemented on the ground. The people of Assam have been betrayed, he stated.
He also said that the anti-CAA struggle has not petered out, as alleged by the government, but is going on in a planned and non-violent manner. It will continue to be stronger in the coming days, he assured.
He alleged that the government was trying to divide the people and thus destroy the struggle. He solicited advice from the students and senior citizens on how to run the massive struggle until the CAA was withdrawn.
AASU president Dipanka Nath in his speech hinted about an alternative force to uproot the BJP-led government in the 2021 election. He said the present dispensation was forcefully trying to dump foreigners on the already overburdened state. Such a move will destroy our language, culture, integrity and identity, he speculated.
He blamed the BJP-led government along with Narendra Modi for the move, besides Sarbananda Sonowal, Himanta Biswa Sarma, Atul Bora, Phanibhushan Choudhury, Keshab Mahanta, Birendra Prasad Baishya and other AGP leaders for covertly supporting the centre and betraying the people of Assam.
He reminded the audience that during election campaign, Modi had assured the people of the state that the Bangladeshis will be deported bag and baggage after his government comes to power, but in reality he has welcomed the Bangladeshis.
Advocate Arup Borbora in his speech termed the AGP and BJP leaders as Badan for imposing the dangerous CAA upon the state. The CAA will give us additional burden of illegal Bangladheshi from 1971 to 1914, he said. At any cost, we do not accept CAA, he added.