Assam: Opposition Congress, AIUDF stage massive protest against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill

The Congress MLAs have staged their protests against the bill at the entrance of the Assam Assembly during the ongoing winter session.

On the other hand, opposition AIUDF staged a massive protest outside of the assembly against the bill and demanded the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Union government to not lay the same in the parliament.

Several hundred members, supporters and the MLAs of AIUDF shouted slogans against the bill, both Union and state government and termed it as an unconstitutional bill.

An AIUDF MLA Rafiqul Islam said that this bill (CAB) can trigger a communal clash in Assam.

Similarly, the opposition Congress has also opposed the bill and said that this bill is against the people of Assam.

Assam Congress Legislative Party leader Debabrata Saikia said that: “It is very unfortunate that in the last week of November, we had celebrated the Constitution Day. On the basis of religion, a new bill will be introduced and it will violate our fundamental principle which says equality for all.”

“The BJP-led government is doing such things only to provocate their agenda,” Debabrata Saikia said.

While the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) – one of the key ally party of the BJP-led Assam government has taken a U-turn over the issue and accepted the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill will violate the Assam Accord.

“The Union cabinet has taken the decision. It is not the decision of the people of India. In a democratic country, every people have the right to support or oppose. As an ex-AASU (All Assam Students’ Union) and a citizen of India, we oppose this bill. They (BJP) have the majority in the parliament and they can pass it also. But, the people of Northeast is going to suffer. If the bill will make a rule or law then it will violate the Assam Accord,” Prafulla Kumar Mahanta said.

On the other hand, Assam BJP has welcomed the decision taken by the Union Cabinet of passing the Citizenship (Amkendment) Bill and said that it will help to give safeguard the people of Assam.

BJP MLA Dilip Paul said that – “It is a good news. I congratulate Union Home Minister and the BJP leaders. It is a very good initiative to save the people of Assam from the infiltrators from Bangladesh.”

(By Hemanta Kumar Nath, Guwahati)