People of State Will Be Protected: CM Sarbananda Sonowal

l BJP gives ‘district-wise data of Hindu Bangladeshis eligible to apply for citizenship’

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Giving an impression that Hindu Bangladeshis, who can apply for Indian citizenship after the passage of the CAB (Citizenship Amendment Bill) are few and far between, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has said that the people of the State can rest assured that the Bill is not going to pose any threat to their land, language, literature and culture.

The Chief Minister, NEDA (North East Democratic Alliance) convener Himanta Biswa Sarma and State BJP president Ranjeet Kumar Dass took part at the party’s district and mandal presidents’ meeting at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra here on Monday.

Speaking to newsmen after the meeting, while Sarma reiterated that the CAB would enable just 5.04 lakh Hindu Bangladeshis to apply for Indian citizenship in the State, State party president Ranjeet Kumar Dass made an attempt to give a district-wise breakup of such people.

Dass said, “Since there is a cut-off date – December 31, 2014 – the number of Hindu Bangladeshis who can apply for Indian citizenship is much fewer than anticipated by many in the State. After the passage of CAB in Parliament, while only 300 Hindu Bangladeshis can apply for Indian citizenship from Majuli district, 1,000 such people can apply from Charaideo district, 1,000 from Nalbari district, 24,000 from Barpeta district, 28,000 from Baksa district, 1.30 lakh from the three Barak Valley districts etc. How come 300 Hindu Bangladeshis in Majuli district and 1,000 in Nalbari district spell disaster for the Assamese language, literature and culture there? If any of the 1.28 crore Hindu Bangladeshis currently staying in Bangladesh enters Assam, we’ll resign from the party en masse.”

Dwelling at length on the issue before the media after the meeting, Sonowal said, “Providing Indian citizenship to refugees has been an assurance to the people of the country from the BJP since its inception in 1980. This assurance makes its way into every poll manifesto of the party. And to materialize that assurance, the CAB has been introduced in the Parliament today. I firmly believe that the Bill will get its passage in both the Houses of the Parliament. The passage of the Bill will put an end to a long-standing problem. We’ve no reason to worry over the fate of our language, literature and culture. I assure you that the language, literature, culture and land of the State will be well protected, and we’re here to make that really happen. This is because the land, language, literature and culture of the State are the specific terms and conditions given to the high-level committee on Clause VI of the Assam Accord. Sooner the high-level committee submits its report, the better the situation in the State will be.”

Sarbananda Sonowal appealed to the people spearheading the anti-CAB agitation in the State not to mislead the people of the State on the Bill. “We’ve formed the government to save Assam. The Bill has a cut-off date. We’re doing everything in a transparent way. We’re committed to protect the people of Assam, and we’ve taken a pledge on that,” the Chief Minister said.

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