AASU takes out Massive Rally against CAB in Guwahati
* We’ll never remain as second-class citizens in our own homeland: Samujjal Bhattacharya
* The masses must oppose the game plan of the Union government: Dipanko Kumar Nath
STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: “If the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister have the courage, let them announce that the other States will also share the burden of foreigners from 1951 to 1971!” Declared AASU general secretary Lurinjyoti Gogoi, while posing: Why should only Assam bear the burden? The student leader flung the gauntlet while addressing the huge gathering at Swahid Nyas prior to commencing the march to Raj Bhawan on Monday, protesting against the controversial CAB (Citizenship Amendment Bill).
He further said, “This agitation against the CAB has already started. It will continue. Since the BJP-led Union government has the numbers in its favour in the Lok Sabha, it is trying to forcefully impose CAB on the people of Northeast. By bringing in this bill, they are trying to set up their permanent vote bank in the region; and to accomplish this objective they are resorting to the divide-and-rule policy in the name of religions.”
Protesting against the Centre’s move to bring in the CAB in the current session of Parliament, hundreds of AASU (All Assam Students Union) and NESO (North East Students Organisation) activists shouting slogans and beating the traditional ‘Borkanh’ (large cymbals of bell metal), marched from Swahid Nyas in Uzan Bazar to Raj Bhawan on Monday.
However, the police stopped the processionists much before they could reach the Governor’s House. Then, the leaders of the two organizations handed over a memorandum reflecting their views to the Prime Minister, Union Home Minister, and the State Governor through the Joint Police Commissioner (City) D Upadhyay.
The call for ‘March to Raj Bhawan’ was given by the NESO. Such marches have reportedly taking place in the capitals of all the north-eastern States today.
Prior to commencing the march, AASU chief advisor Samujjal Bhattacharya told the media, “The present leaders of Assam government must demonstrate the examples set by the Chief Ministers and leaders of Meghalaya and Mizoram in opposing the CAB. The Government of Mizoram is standing in favour of the indigenous people of the State. Other leaders of the north-eastern States have also supported the indigenous people’s stand opposing the CAB. Way back in 1949, Prime Minister Jawaharal Nehru had requested the then Assam government for land to settle immigrants. However, the leaders of Assam did not yield to the pressures of the Central government.”
Bhattacharya further said, “As per the Assam Accord, the State of Assam has taken the burden of foreigners till 1971. Beyond this deadline, we will not take the burden of even a single foreigner. We’ll never remain as second-class citizens in our own homeland.”
AASU president Dipanko Kumar Nath said, “The Centre is planning to snatch away the main rights from the indigenous people of the region. At this critical juncture, the masses must come out to the street and oppose the vested interest and game plan of the Union government.”
Meanwhile, AASU and organizations of 30 indigenous communities have decided to carry out a torch rallies against the CAB across the State on November 21.