Letters to THE EDITOR: Laudable Step by AASU

Laudable Step by AASU

We were pleasantly surprised to find that AASU leaders met with the Chief Minister of Bihar, eliciting support in opposing the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016. This is laudable, as it is felt that the people of Assam need to garner support in other parts of the country to augment their voice.

In a democracy, especially in a country like India, the voice of more than three crore populace would not be heard if the rest of India were to vote in favour or against something. We may have agitations, strikes, etc, but these will be of no use if the rest of the country, more so the lawmakers in other parts, are not with us.

The people of Assam living in other parts of the country, and also around the world, should strive to sensitize fellow citizens in garnering support opposing the Bill. For that matter, they can also do well on many other matters and issues in sensitizing and garnering support.

A Bhuyan, Nagaon.

A Burning Issue

At one point of time in the history of independent India, the first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, bade adieu to the people of Assam anticipating that the advancing Chinese soldiers would soon occupy the whole of Assam. Exactly in the same away, the present incumbent Narendra Modi appears to bid goodbye to the people of Assam if reports on his nonchalant attitude towards deportation of Bangladeshi infiltrators entering into Assam are any indication.

At least a report published in a section of the print media suggests so. From the report it transpires that during the last visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, as many as 22 agreements were signed with our Prime Minister. In addition, a 62-point joint statement was issued that covered various issues of mutual cooperation. But nowhere, neither in the 22 agreements nor in the joint statement covering 62-point issues, could one find a single mention of deportation of Bangladeshis infiltrating into Assam illegally.

What does it imply? Is it not tantamount to surrendering Assam to Bangladesh? So, diplomatically, Sheikh Hasina registered a victory over our Prime Minister, prompting India to refrain from making any mention of illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators and their deportation when caught. One can easily arrive at the conclusion that all the BJP leaders, irrespective of them being at the State level or at the all-India level, maintain a double standard. It is a thousand pities that they fail to realize that an impending danger hangs like the sword of Damocles on the people of Assam in particular and all the people of the country in general.

Ashok Bordoloi, Dibrugarh.