Assam organizations allege Sarbananda Sonowal of being Hindu Bangladeshi 'sympathizer'

Kokrajhar: In a major blow to Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, as many as 11 organizations of Kokrajhar district on Saturday warned the BJP-led coalition government to be ready to face a bitter consequence if the governments in Delhi and Dispur went ahead with the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.

The 11 organizations, including AKRSU, AASU, AASAA, AMSU, All Santhali Students’ Union, Chilarai Sena, Koch Rajbongshi Mahila Samity, ex-MLA ULFA Association and Nath Yogi Sanmiloni, on Sunday held a press meet at Kokrajhar Press Club and warned the government that the State would witness widespread protests if the bill was passed.

President of AASAA, Stephen Lakra said the BJP government at the Centre and the State were playing communal politics with Hindu and Muslim Bangladeshis but ignoring the genuine causes of the indigenous people of Assam. He said the indigenous people of the State had vehemently opposed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. He said, “Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal was regarded as jatiya nayak when he led the AASU movement against Bangladeshi immigrants and was the champion in scrapping the IMDT Act. But after becoming Chief Minister, he is now a sympathizer of Hindu Bangladeshis and is going to provide citizenship rights to lakhs of Bangladeshis.”

Lakra said Bangladeshis were Bangladeshi and there was no question of giving citizenship rights on the basis of religion as that could harm communal harmony and integrity. “The BJP is playing politics with religion and in such a scenario, national integrity is likely to be hampered in the State,” he said, adding that the BJP had been ignoring the rights and security of the indigenous people.

Advisor of AKRSU, Pradip Kr. Ray said the indigenous people of the State were united against the bill and 70 indigenous organizations were protesting against the bill. “The BJP before coming to power had warned that all Bangladeshis living illegally in Assam must leave the State. But this party has become the protector of Hindu Bangladeshis living illegally,” he said, adding that the indigenous people of the State would never tolerate the dual standard of BJP. He further said that the BJP would see bad days ahead if they passed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.

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