‘Why are tribal belts & blocks not exempted from Citizenship Amendment Act ambit?’

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Tuesday said unlike the Sixth Schedule areas, the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) has not exempted tribal belts and blocks from its purview paving the way for Hindu Bangladeshis (after getting citizenship) to purchase land and stay at areas dominated by ethnic groups.

Addressing a press conference here, Gogoi said the statement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the anti-CAA protest in foreign countries being fuelled by Pakistan is an insult to the people of Assam. He said Modi must respect Gamosha that he often wears around his neck. “Gamosha is a prestige of Assamese people. If he respects Gamosha he must withdraw the CAA,” he said.

Rejecting Modi’s allegation that the Congress is behind violence during the anti-CAA, Gogoi accused the Prime Minister of following Pakistan’s Muhammad Ali Jinnah to create a Hindu Rashtra in India. He blamed Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and State BJP President Ranjeet Kumar Dass solely responsible for the present situation in Assam.

Demanding a judicial inquiry into violence during the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests, Gogoi demanded arrest of Himanta Biswa Sarma since his comment (there is no anti-CAA protests in the State) provoked the protestors to intensify their stir.

On the issue of arrest of Akhil Gogoi, Gogoi said “If Akhil is a Maoist, why does not the government ban KMSS?.” Gogoi expressed confidence that the Congress will come back to power in the State in 2021.

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