AABYSF demands citizenship for Hindu Bengalis living in Assam

From our Staff Reporter

DIBRUGARH, January 12: A three–hour sit–in was staged by the Dibrugarh district committee of All Assam Bengali Youth–Students’ Federation (AABYSF) at Tha Chariali here on Monday. The dhar was held in support of the organization’s various demands, like unconditiol release of Hindu Bengalis in detention camps and security to the citizens in BTAD area.

The general secretary of the central committee of the Federation, Nirmal Kanti Shil and of the district committee, Bapi Sarkar, took part in the demonstration. In his statement, Shil demanded that the Hindu Bengalis living in Assam must be provided citizenship immediately. He also pointed out that the Central Government had promised the same before and during elections but nothing concrete in the direction had been taken even after coming to power almost six to seven months ago.

On the other hand, Sarkar demanded that the departure of long distance trains like Kamrup, Kamakhya and Brahmaputra Mail should be from Dibrugarh station instead of Banipur Station as reaching the latter, which is in the outskirts of the town, was always a harrowing experience for the passengers.

In their memorandum addressed to Prime Minister rendra Modi, the AABYSF placed their demands like acting upon the cabinet decision of the Assam government on July 17 last year to provide protection to displaced persons belonging to Hindu minority communities of Bangladesh settled in the State and grant citizenship at par with Hindu migrants from Pakistan in Gujarat and Rajasthan. They also called for the dismantling of all detention camps for Hindus and scrapping of D voters’ tangle. The memorandum also stated the other demands like taking measures to release Hindu Bengalis in detention camps and ensuring safety and security to residents of BTAD area.