Sarbananda Sonowal, Himanta Biswa meet Amit Shah in Delhi; discuss indigenous rights, CAA

GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and state Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Thursday to discuss the current situation over CAA as well as indigenous peoples' issues.

According to media reports, discussions were held to ensure measures to protect the language, literature, culture of Assamese people under Clause 6 of the Assam Accord.

"Today we have a very important discussion with the Union home minister, not only CAB (CAA) but also other measures for protecting, safeguarding our culture, language," Himanta Biswa Sarma told the press in Guwahati.

The state had been reeling under protests since CAA came in. The indigenous population of the state fears getting overwhelmed by the arrival of 'foreigners' through this Act. People also see CAA as a violation of Assam Accord according to which foreigners entering Assam, irrespective of their religion or language, after 24th of March 1971, do not qualify for citizenship.

CAA aims to protect religiously persecuted Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan by giving them Indian Citizenship. The cut-off date for those to be given citizenship in India has been fixed at, on or before 31st December 2014.

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