Cry against Bill amplifies, AASU-AXX takes new lead

The AASU and the AXX have averred that no activity that defies or violates the Assam Accord will be accepted or tolerated and that the foreigners issue in the State must be settled through implementation of the Assam Accord. Further, the two bodies made it clear that there could be no room for communalism in the State

Guwahati, May 24: Opposition to the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 is gaining new momentum across the length and breadth of Assam with every passing day. On Thursday, a joint meeting of the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) and the Axom Xahitya Xabha (AXX) held at the AASU office (Swahid Bhawan) in Guwahati vehemently opposed the Bill.

Castigating the Bill, the meeting resolved that the interests of the indigenous people of the State must be protected and made secured at all cost.

Attended by AASU chief adviser Samujjal Bhattacharjya, its president Dipanka Kr Nath and general secretary Lurin Jyoti Gogoi, and AXX president Paramanada Rajbongshi, its secretary general Padum Rajkhowa and steering committee member Blendra Kr Das, the joint meeting called the Bill highly damaging to the interests of the local people, and demanded its immediate withdrawal. The meeting urged the government to work in the interests of the natives and take measures for withdrawal of the Bill.

The two bodies made it categorical that the Bill must be withdrawn, and that till that happens, the AASU and the AXX would not remain silent.

The meeting demanded that a time-bound action plan be sorted out to implement the Assam Accord, that as per the Assam Accord the indigenous people be granted Constitutional safeguard, that the Assam-Bangladesh border be sealed on a war footing, that bilateral talks be initiated with the Bangladesh Government to deport Bangladeshi nationals who entered Assam after midnight of March 24, 1971, and that a deal be made with the neighbouring country in this regard.

The AASU and the AXX have also averred that no activity that defies or violates the Assam Accord will be accepted or tolerated and that the foreigners issue in the State must be settled through implementation of the Assam Accord. Further, the two bodies made it clear that there could be no room for communalism in the State.

In the matter of the NRC being updated now, the joint meeting decided to extend all cooperation to the NRC update process as before, while urging the public representatives to play a vital role in the preparation of a Bangladesh-free and correct NRC.

On the other hand, on May 27, the AXX will organize a meet (jaatiya abhibartan) in Guwahati. The AASU has been invited to attend the meet and it has been accepted. Likewise, the AXX will attend a mass meeting called by the AASU and 28 other ethnic organizations of the State in Guwahati on May 29.