GUWAHATI: The All Assam Students Union has warned the authorities against inclusion of names of Bangladeshi nationals in the National Register of Citizens.
“The NRC verification process will be over by May 31 while the final draft publication will be ready by June 30. Therefore, we warn the authorities not to include in the remaining period names of any Bangladeshi nationals in the NRC. AASU along with the 28 indigenous organisations will stage a united protest if any Bangladeshi name is included in the NRC,” AASU chief advisor, Samujjal Bhattacharya told reporters here on Tuesday.
Earlier, AASU and the 28 indigenous organisations convened a joint meeting and resolved to intensify its state-level agitation against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016, starting with a mass hunger strike on May 29 and a mass rally (gana satyagraha) in June.
The meeting discussed the next course of agitation against the proposed legislation and the NRC update process.
“AASU and 28 indigenous organisations have decided to stage an 11-hour mass hunger strike here on May 29 and a mass rally across the districts next month as part of our sustained opposition to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, which the Centre has to withdraw or face a vigorous movement,” AASU president, Dipanka Kumar Nath said.
“We also demand time-bound implementation of the Assam Accord, constitutional safeguards for indigenous people, sealing of the India-Bangladesh border and a bilateral treaty between India and Bangladesh for foreigner deportation,” Nath said.
The union and the organizations will meet again on June 2 to finalized the venues and date of the mass rally.
Tribal Sangha general secretary, Aditya Khaklari threatened a vigorous movement if the Bill was not withdrawn by the Centre.
“If neighbouring Meghalaya can oppose the Bill why can’t Assam. People of Assam had voted the leaders, who were once part of the Assam Agitation, to power on the basis of their jati, mati, bheti (community, home and hearth) slogan. But why are the leaders silent now on the Bill,” Khaklari said.
Warning the Assam government not to give in to Delhi’s diktat, AASU chief adviser said the state Cabinet should oppose the Bill and make its stand clear like the Meghalaya Cabinet.