GUWAHATI, July 28 - The Asam Sahitya Sabha today took exception to the statement made in the Rajya Sabha by Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju that Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Jains and Parsees from neighbouring countries entering Assam and other States till December 31, 2015 should not be treated as foreigners, and said that the �unwarranted and provocative utterance� of the minister would complicate the situation in Assam ahead of the publication of the final draft of the NRC, scheduled for July 30.
�While various organisations and the people of Assam have unanimously accepted the cut-off date of March 25, 1971 for determination and deportation of illegal migrants irrespective of their religious affiliation and when the NRC update process is nearing completion, irresponsible statements by a responsible Union minister are bound to complicate matters,� the Sabha said in a statement.
The Sabha also flayed the BJP-led Central Government for trying to impose illegal migrants on the State by amending the citizenship Act.
�The public hearing by the JPC got a fair indication of the stern and unanimous opposition of the people of Assam to the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016 and despite that, the Centre is trying to impose a huge burden of foreigners on Assam. Assam has already borne the brunt of a large number of illegal migrants over the decades and even accepted many of them as Indian citizens on the basis of the Assam Accord. The State cannot take any more burden of foreigners,� it said.
The Sabha added that the people of Assam reposed their faith in the new BJP Government in the State for resolving the burning issues plaguing the State, but it was disturbing that the Government had adopted a vague stand on the issue of granting citizenship to Hindu migrants from Bangladesh.
�The State Government must make its stand clear in clear and unambiguous terms. The people of Assam have every right to demand that,� it said.
