AASU, AXX oppose granting citizenship to Hindu Bangladeshis

Kokrajhar, May 7: The Axam Xahitya Xabha (AXX) and the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) on Sunday strongly opposed the move of the Union government to pass the bill for citizenship rights to Hindu Bangladeshis in Assam and made it clear that a small State like Assam could not take the burden of illegal Bangladeshis. The president of the AXX, Dr. Paramananda Rajbongshi, while addressing a large gathering on the occasion of Bwisagu Bardwisikhla Festival held at Kokrajhar on Sunday said, “Foreigners are foreigners, we cannot distinguish the foreigners on the line of religion and the government must act against the illegal Bangladeshis who have changed the demography of the State in a serious way.” He said the AXX strongly opposed the Centre’s move to grant citizenship rights to Hindu Bangladeshis in Assam.

Rajbongshi said the State had already a huge burden of Bangladeshis and at this point of time there was no question of Assam taking any more burden. He said the move of the government to pass the bill for granting citizenship rights to Hindu Bangladeshis was very unfortunate. He also called upon all indigenous people of the State to stand united against the proposed bill for Hindu Bangladeshis.

The chief advisor of the AASU, Dr Samujjal Bhattacharya said the move of the Centre to grant citizenship rights to Hindu Bangladeshis was a destructive step to finish the indigenous people of Assam. The State cannot take the burden of this destructive move, he said, adding that the AASU had been demanding deportation of illegal Bangladeshis who entered Assam after 1971 and there was no question to accept Hindu Bangladeshis as its citizens.

Bhattacharjya said JPC would seek opinion from the people of the State regarding the granting of citizenship rights to the Hindu Bangladeshis from May 7 but this was a futile exercise.