Assam Burns over CAB: CM Sonowal appeals for peace

GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Thursday appealed to the people of the State to maintain peace and calm as violent protests continued to break out in most parts of the State over several days against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019.

“I convey my heartfelt regards to the people of Assam. You have witnessed the violent protests in the name of CAB in the State for last few days. However, the anti-CAB protests have taken ugly turn, which the people of Assam have already seen. The peace loving people of Assam unequivocally condemned the violence. They want peace, not violence,” he said, and added, “…my sincere appeal to the people of Assam is to abstain from violent protests and sustain the social, cultural and spiritual bond propagated by Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva.”

He said that in the name of CAB, a misinformation campaign is going on which has created doubts in the minds of the people. The misinformation campaign also went to the extent of giving fictitious figures of granting citizenship to the tune of more than one crore under this act and thereby trying to mislead the people, he said. “However, I being a son of the soil and a former member of a leading students’ organization, I request you all not to get carried away by such misinformation. Those who have indulged in such misinformation campaign do not want development of our State,” the Chief Minister said, and added: “At this juncture, I would like to state that the CAB is a national Bill and the people of Assam need not be apprehensive of the Act. Our Government is committed to safeguard the linguistic, cultural, political and land rights of the people of Assam.”

Sonowal said that even Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it clear that Government of India is committed to safeguard the prestige & dignity, language, cultural ethos, political and land rights of the people of Assam.

“Our government has been working to protect the dignity, pride, language, culture, political and land rights of the people of Assam with full commitment, and I assure everybody that we will be working towards this end in the coming days as well. I have nothing to hide from you in this regard. In the last three and half years, you have seen the quantum and quality of our performance, which are aimed at ensuring security of all sections of the people of Assam. We all have to take concerted efforts for the future of the younger generation, especially our student community. We have to sustain the academic atmosphere and this is our collective responsibility. I, therefore, appeal to all esteemed organizations, who are leading the protests, all community organizations along with artistes, litterateurs, intellectuals, journalists and all sections of the society to come forward and contribute to a bright future of our state,” he said.

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