Protest in Kokrajhar over Hindu refugee notification

Kokrajhar (Assam): Thousands of students and youth observed a massive satyagraha in Assam’s Kokrajhar district on Monday to protest against the Union government’s decision to allow Hindu refugees from Bangladesh and Pakistan to stay over in India even after the expiry of their visas.
Students from several parts of the district joined a protest-march as part of the satyagraha organised by the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) supported by several ethnic organisations.
The protest-march was flagged off from Kokrajhar Rasmela field and was led by AASU Chief Adviser Samujal Kumar Bhattarcharjee, general secretary Lurinjyoti Gogoi and other AASU leaders.
Leaders of the AASU and other ethnic organisations protested against the decision, vowing never to allow foreigners to settle in Assam on the basis of religion.
They warned the BJP government not to provoke another anti-foreigners Assam agitation of the 80s.
The Union government through two gazette notifications under Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920 and Foreigners Act, 1946 on September 7.
This year had allowed Bangladeshi and Pakistani nationals, who had entered India on or before December 31, 2014, without proper documents or after the expiry of relevant documents, to stay in India on humanitarian considerations. (PTI)