GUWAHATI, May 19 - Opposing the Centre�s move to grant citizenship to Hindu and other non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, the Guwahati Senior Citizens� Association (GSCA) today said Assam has already been overburdened with a huge migrant population from Bangladesh and therefore, is not in a position to accommodate more migrants.
The GSCA, in its meeting, said the Centre could settle the migrants fleeing Bangladesh due to religious persecution in the rest of India except Assam.
The meeting held under the presidentship of DN Chakravartty also called upon both the governments at the Centre and in the State to declare Assam a tribal State after declaring the Tai Ahoms, Koch Rajbongshis, Chutiyas, Muttocks, Morans and the tea tribes as Scheduled Tribes (STs).
The Association urged the Government to reintroduce the old inner line permit system to restrict the entry of new immigrants into the heartland of Assam.
Chakravartty, in his speech, urged the people to create a climate of work culture in order to resist massive invasion of outsiders into the State. He stressed the need to revive the old work culture of the Assamese people as it was during the time of King Bhaskar Barman and Momai Tamuli Barbarua in order to take the State to greater heights.
Sangeeta Barkataki Bhattacharya, Director of Siddhartha Social Foundation, while addressing the gathering, spoke about the facilities offered by the organisation to encourage the elderly to practise yoga to keep themselves fit.
Madhabananda Dutta Bardoloi suggested that the law should be enforced for stopping the bandh culture and road blockade in the State, which often disrupts daily life, causing hardship to the people.
The Government Pensioners� Association, Assam, has also opposed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, calling upon the State Government to take a stand in this regard.
In a memorandum to Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, the Association urged the Chief Minister to take a bold decision in the greater interest of the people of Assam.
�The Bill has evoked spontaneous protests from all quarters representing the Assamese people in view of the grave danger it poses to the identity, language and culture of the Assamese people. The Centre must honour the sentiments of the people and withdraw the Bill. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal in particular should lead from the front and strongly voice his opposition to the Bill before the Centre,� it added.
