Will protest CAA if there are lakhs of applicants: CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the number of people applying for Indian citizenship under the CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) will be clear within 45 days. “If the number of such applicants is over lakhs, as speculated by some circles, I will be the first to oppose CAA in Assam,” the Chief Minister said.

Speaking to the media on the CAA, the Chief Minister said, “As I presume, the number of such applicants will be around 50,000–80,000 in the Barak Valley and a few thousand in the Brahmaputra Valley. I assure the people of the state that not a single person who has not earlier applied for registration in the NRC is going to apply for citizenship under the CAA. No new person entering India after 2014 will apply for citizenship under CAA provisions. If my claim becomes untrue, I will resign from the Chief Minister’s post.”

He further said, “Now the eligible persons will apply through a portal for Indian citizenship, and the filing of applications will continue for 45 days. Thus, after 45 days, when we compare the data in the portal, the picture will be crystal clear as to how many applicants for Indian citizenship are in Assam. As the whole process is online, everybody can see whether my statement is true or not.”

The Chief Minister said, “The CAA was passed in 2019. The implementation took place yesterday. It will be an acid test for people who have been waging a war in the state against the CAA, for which five people have had to lose their lives. After 45 days, when the actual figures will come up, such people and organizations will have to be held accountable before the public.”

On AASU (All Assam Students’ Union) and other organizations’ claim that the implementation of the CAA would lead to an increase in the infiltration of foreigners into the state, the Chief Minister said that Assam would not have to stagger under the burden of illegal foreigners due to the implementation of the CAA. 

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