ASSAM: Congress Urges United Front Against CAA, Warns of Threat to Assam Accord

Guwahati: Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly, Debabrata Saikia, has called on political parties and civil society groups to unite against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), alleging that its implementation would violate the Assam Accord and jeopardize the state’s future.

In a statement on Sunday, Saikia said he has written to several organizations, urging them to oppose the CAA and help build public opinion against it. “The BJP government is planning to implement the CAA, which contravenes the Assam Accord, to grant citizenship to foreigners. This will endanger the present and future interests of Assam,” he said.

Saikia also claimed that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had instructed District Commissioners (DCs) and Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) to withdraw cases against certain foreign nationals in the state’s Foreigners Tribunals (FTs) based on religion.“If implemented, around five lakh foreign nationals currently excluded under the Assam Accord could become eligible for Indian citizenship. This includes nearly 70,000 individuals already declared foreigners by the FTs,” Saikia warned.

He further alleged that the decision would not only undermine the Assam Accord but also put pressure on the state’s economy and limited natural resources. “The government has not denied media reports on this matter. I openly urge all political and non-political organizations to take a stand in the interest of Assam,” the senior Congress leader said.