GUWAHATI, Sept 28 - With the deadline for submitting views and suggestions to the joint parliamentary committee on The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 just around the corner, 28 organisations of the State, including the All Assam Students� Union (AASU), on Wednesday reiterated their stance that under no conditions Assam will bear the burden of migrants coming to the State after the cut-off year of 1971.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, which seeks to help refugees, mainly the Hindus from neighbouring countries to get citizenship in India, has sparked widespread protest in the State with many organisations already taking to the streets to vent their ire against the Narendra Modi government.
Twenty seven organisations representing various indigenous communities of the State and the AASU held a meet here today to discuss the future course of action to ensure that Assam in no way becomes a dumping ground of refugees.
AASU adviser Samujjal Bhattacharya addressing the press after the meet said that the Bill is nothing less than a conspiracy on the part of the saffron party to push the burden of illegal migrants from Bangladesh entirely to Assam. �We have reached a unanimous decision in today�s meet. We will oppose any move on the part of the government to give citizenship to illegal migrants in the State,� said Bhattacharya, adding that so far a small state like Assam on behalf of the country has been bearing the burden of illegal Bangladeshis and it cannot do it any more.
Bhattacharya also questioned the sincerity of the Narendra Modi government in resolving the vexed foreigners issue of the State and mentioned that it would be a political injustice to the people of Assam if the Bill is passed. �The NRC update process is at the last stage. The government should respect the Assam Accord which is a national commitment,� he said.
Sadou Asom Tribal Sangha, Nikhil Bodo Satra Santha, Nikhil Rabha Satra Santha, Sadou Tiwa Satra Santha, Sadou Dimasa Satra Santha and the other organisations pointed out that the Bill is a threat to the existence of the indigenous communities in the State.
