Assam: AASU slams order to lift FT cases against Hindu B’deshis

Burning of order copies across the state today

Guwahati: All Assam Students' Union (AASU) expressed strong opposition to the state government's order on dropping cases against Hindu Bangladeshis in the state's Foreigners Tribunals (FTs). Demanding a rollback of the decision aimed at 'safeguarding' illegal Bangladeshis, the student organization stated that facsimiles of the government order will be burnt at all district headquarters in the state on Friday.

AASU president Utpal Sarma and general secretary Samiran Phukon on Thursday released a statement in which they said that the order on dropping the cases against Hindu Bangladeshis in the FTs is totally unacceptable and that the order should be scrapped. "As per the Assam Accord, the burning issue of illegal foreign nationals should be permanently resolved. All Hindu and Muslim illegal Bangladeshi migrants entering Assam after 1971 should be deported at any cost. Assam is not the roving ground of illegal Bangladeshis," they asserted.

In the statement, they further said that the implementation of CAA in Assam by the central government is unjustified. "CAA is harmful and anti-indigenous, so the NE states of Mizoram, Nagaland, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh, with Inner Line Permits, have revoked the Act. CAA is not applicable in the Sixth Schedule areas of the NE, to the extent of 98% in Meghalaya and 70% in Tripura and Assam's 8 districts, including BTR and hill districts. This means that CAA is not applicable in most areas in the NE states. CAA has been implemented in as many as 27 districts, out of the total 35 districts in Assam. Assam is the worst-affected among the NE states. CAA is harmful, and most parts of the NE, including the 8 districts of Assam, have been excluded from it. So, Assam should be totally excluded from CAA. The injustice towards Assam must be stopped," the AASU leaders stressed.

In an order, the Home and Political Department of the Assam Government decided to drop the cases against people belonging to six communities – Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, Sikh, Parsi and Jain – pending with foreigners tribunals in the state. This is applicable for only the people of these six communities who entered Assam on or before December 31, 2014.

 Also Read: Assam: ‘FTs’ Case Disposal Low’, State Government Informs Gauhati High Court

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