Guwahati: Controversy has erupted in Assam as the BJP-led government faces criticism from opposition parties and student groups for granting Indian citizenship to a Bangladesh-born Hindu man under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), a decision seen as undermining the rights of indigenous communities.
According to Kashmir Media Service announcement issued on 16 August 2024, Dulon Das, originally from Sylhet district in Bangladesh and a resident of Silchar since 1988, has become the first person in the Northeast to receive citizenship under the CAA since the BJP finalized its implementation rules in April. Das’s new status has reignited tensions in Assam, where the CAA has been contentious since its introduction by the Indian Parliament in December 2019. The act offers fast-track citizenship to non-Muslim immigrants from specific neighboring countries, a provision that has sparked significant unrest and protests, particularly in the Northeast.
The opposition and student organizations argue that the CAA contravenes the Assam Accord of 1985, designed to protect indigenous rights by setting a cutoff for recognizing immigrants. Lurinjyoti Gogoi, president of the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), stated, “The granting of citizenship to a man from Bangladesh is a grave insult to the indigenous people of Assam,” highlighting the sentiment that the BJP’s actions compromise the cultural and demographic fabric of the region.
Critics, including senior Congress leader Debabrata Saikia and Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi, contend that the CAA not only undermines constitutional values but also threatens the identity of Assam’s native populations by potentially altering the state’s demographic balance. They demand adherence to the Assam Accord, which stipulates the detection and deportation of illegal immigrants who entered after March 1971.
The response from the BJP, including comments from Assam’s Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma suggesting that only a negligible number of people would seek citizenship under the CAA, has not assuaged fears. Utpal Sarma, president of the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), emphasized that the issue transcends mere numbers and touches on profound concerns about the preservation of the Assamese community’s rights and heritage. He accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP of betraying the Assamese by not honoring past commitments.
The controversy marks a significant moment in Assam’s political landscape, revealing deep divisions and ongoing debates about citizenship, heritage, and the rights of indigenous communities.