GUWAHATI, Jan 2 - There is no alternative to an uncompromising struggle to frustrate the move of the Union government to impose the amended Citizenship Act on the indigenous people of the State.
This was stated by noted scholar and writer Dr Hiren Gohain while addressing the gathering at the venue of the sit-in demonstration against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 in front of the Parag Kumar Das memorial on Rajgarh Road here today.
The sit-in demonstration was organised by the Nagaritkva Ain Sangsodhan Birodhi Mancha at the venue for the second day today. The participants at the demonstration included leading intellectuals, politicians and several persons who had taken part in the Assam agitation, besides several other people from various walks of life. They included former Chief Minister of the State Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, former Principal of Cotton College Udayaditya Bharali, advisor to the Assam agitation Kumud Sarma, among others. The demonstration was held from 11 am to 2 pm.
The organisers of the demonstration stated that they would continue to hold the protest programme till January 7, the day on which the Joint Parliamentary Committee is expected to submit its report on the Bill to the Parliament.
According to a statement issued here this evening, Dr Gohain urged the people of the State to come out unitedly against the proposed amendment to the Citizenship Act. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is out to eliminate the Assamese people and this should be resisted by the indigenous peoples of the State with all might. The struggle against this diabolic move should be spread to the nook and corner of the State by forming local committees to spearhead the struggles locally, he said.
Former Chief Minister Mahanta said that he would always remain with the indigenous peoples of the State in their struggle against all injustices to Assam. For him, security of the Assamese people is the first priority, he said.
Prof Udayaditya Bharali also urged all nationalist people to unite at this critical hour.
Meanwhile, the organisers of the demonstration have decided to hold a meeting on the issue on the Asam Sahitya Sabha premises here at 3 pm on January 4. They have appealed to all the like-minded people and organisations to take part in the meeting.
