Assam News

Tarun Gogoi came back as 'Lawyer' after 36 years to challenge Citizenship Act in Supreme Court

Sentinel Digital Desk

Guwahati: Veteran Congress leader and former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Wednesday attended court proceedings as a lawyer after a span of more than three decades as the apex court took up a batch of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019.

Notably, Tarun Gogoi, a lawyer by profession, was in court to assist Congress leader P Chidambaram. As per reports, the last time the former chief minister of Assam was in court to argue a case was in 1983.

Meanwhile, the apex court adjourned the matter till January 22 after issuing a notice to the Centre.

The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), an ally of the ruling BJP, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha, were among those who filed pleas.

[embed]https://twitter.com/GauravGogoiAsm/status/1207160781462102016[/embed]

Also, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi also tweeted saying, "My father and former 3-term Assam Chief Minister Shri Tarun Gogoi dons his lawyer robes to file his case against the Citizenship Amendment Act in the Supreme Court today."

Speaking to the media, Tarun Gogoi termed the Citizenship Act, as “discriminatory”.

Earlier, Gogoi during a press conference in Assam, said both the NRC and Citizenship Amendment Bill are contradictory to each other.”

It may be mentioned that States in the Northeast, especially Assam, witnessed intense protests in the wake of the Citizenship Amendment Act, ever since the Bill was tabled in the Rajya Sabha. Following which Army and paramilitary columns were called in to control the violence.