AASU opposes Centre's move to tweak law

CITIZENSHIP FOR HINDU refugees

BY THE STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, July 20: The All Assam Students Union (AASU) on Wednesday strongly objected to the Central government’s decision to grant citizenship to Hindus and Sikhs who have sought refuge in the country from religious persecution in Pakistan, Bangladesh or Afghanistan.

Despite facing stiff opposition in its bid to grant citizenship to Hindu Bengalis, the Central government on Tuesday tabled the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 making tiols of those countries eligible for acquiring Indian citizenship.

In a statement issued by AASU president Dipanka Kr th, the students’ body stated that the decision taken by the BJP government at the Centre on the granting of citizenship to migrated Hindu Bengalis would pose a serious threat to the very existence of indigenous people of Assam.

The AASU said the Central government must not amend the Citizenship Act which would pose any threat to the identity and existence of indigenous people in Assam. Any move to grant citizenship to foreigners - whether they are Hindus or Muslims - who migrated to Assam after 1971 would be in direct violation of clauses of the Assam Accord. The AASU said Assam is not in a position, both socially and economically, to take any more burden of immigrants from other countries. The AASU president said the students body would stage a Statewide demonstration on this issue on July 26.