AASU warns of massive protests

Guwahati: The All Assam Students' Union (Aasu), spearheading the agitation against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), on Sunday threatened to organise a massive protest if Prime Minister Narendra Modi comes to inaugurate the Khelo India Games in Guwahati on January 10.

In what has created tension among the organisers, the Aasu leadership told reporters, “We are keeping a close watch on the two ensuing mega events — the T20 match between India and Sri Lanka on January 5 and Khelo India Games from January 10 to 22.”

The student leaders refrained from elaborating on action plan.

Aasu president, Dipankar Kumar Nath, said, “We will share our plan of action soon after getting confirmation of Mr Modi’s visit. The Prime Minister is likely to visit Assam for the first time since the time the Citizenship (Amendment) Act was passed. On his visit, he will face a massive protest when the anguished people give vent to their ire.”

Asserting that their agitation will continue till the contentious Act was repealed, Aasu chief adviser, Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharya, said that they are also observing and keeping a close watch on the Centre’s attempts to deviate attention of people from the movement.

“We are keeping a close watch on both sports extravaganzas that will be hosted here,” he said. On what he meant by ‘close watch’, Mr Bhattacharya said, “We will inform in due course of time.”

The student leader also regretted that neither the Centre nor the State government was prepared to listen to their genuine grievances. He said that the situation in Assam and other northeastern States cannot be equated with the rest of the country.

“This region has faced serious problems of infiltration from Bangladesh, which poses a threat to the identity and culture of the indigenous people. It is more glaring when one looks at the indigenous people of Tripura. Of the 40 lakh population, only 12 lakh are indigenous people, while, the original Kokborok language is no longer the State language of Tripura. If we allow more Bangladeshi nationals to come to Assam, the condition of the indigenous people of Assam will be similar to the situation that prevails in Tripura,” argued Mr Bhattacharya.

He pointed out that in the last Census, Assa-mese-speaking people in the State are only 48 per cent of the total population. If infiltrators are given citizenship, there would be a serious threat to the language and other ethnic groups. Moreover, as the CAA is not applicable in the Sixth Schedule areas and those covered under the Inner Line Permit System (ILPS), the valley areas will turn dumping grounds for Bangladeshi nationals, he said.

“We do not differentiate foreigners on the basis of their religion. As per the Assam Accord, all foreigners who are here after the midnight of March 24, 1971 must be detected and deported, irrespective of their religion,” he added. He also said that Modi should remember that no State has taken the burden of a large number of foreigners as Assam has done.