GUWAHATI: The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), 30 Ethnic Organisations of Assam and the people of Assam are opposing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019 on two main premises, according to a Press Communiqué.
“The Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation 1873 placed practically the entire state of Assam under Inner Line Permit system before it was recently withdrawn on 11th December, 2019 which is again an act of political injustice. Assam and the whole of the North East should be placed under the Regulation to ensure that the illegal immigrants once detected in Assam as per the provision of the Assam Accord do not re-enter the region in future illegally,” the students’ body said.
AASU has filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court challenging the CAA. In fact, the AASU is the first party in opposing the Act from North East.
“The first premise is that it fundamentally violates the secular preamble of our constitution. The CAA goes against the secular spirit of our constitution. We have full faith in the Supreme Court will protect the secular values the country cherishes and will not allow the operation of this partisan and arbitrary Act passed by the ruling NDA.
“AASU and the people of Assam oppose the CAA on another important premise. This is different from the rest of the country.
The CAA totally violates the historic Assam Accord which was signed on 15 August 1985 between the Government of India, Government of Assam and the All Assam Students’ Union and the All Assam Gana Sangram Parishad to solve the illegal foreigners’ problem after the historic Assam Movement. It was signed to acknowledge the threat to the identity of the indigenous people of Assam due to the unabated influx of the illegal foreigners from Bangladesh, and to move towards a solution.
Clause 5.8 of the Assam Accord is as follows:
“Foreigners who came to Assam on or after 25March 1971 shall continue to be detected, deleted and expelled in accordance with law. Immediate and practical steps shall be taken to expel such foreigners.”
The constitutional date for citizenship was 19 July 1948. Anyone entering India after this date was a foreigner, irrespective of his/her religion. But Assam accepted the burden of 1951 to 1971 of illegal foreigners (both Hindus and Muslims) entering Assam from the then East Pakistan. Assam accepted the burden on behalf of the country keeping in mind the national commitment, international agreements and the humanitarian consideration.
“We oppose the CAA on the following grounds:
- The Assam Accord does not distinguish a foreigner on the basis of his religion.
The CAA discriminates in religion.
- Assam agreed to keep the 1951-71 stream of foreigners after regularization.
The CAA has set a new date of 31 December 2014, thereby,
- violating the core provision of Assam Accord and
- imposing an additional burden of illegal foreigners from 1971 to 2014.
“The Assam Accord promised safeguards for the Assamese in clause 6:
“Constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards, as may be appropriate, shall be provided to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people.”
“The safeguards were envisaged because Assam agreed to bear the burden of the illegal foreigners who entered Assam between 1951 and 1971.
The safeguards are NOT for imposition of the additional burden between 1971 and 2014. The safeguards are NOT for bargaining for acceptance of the CAA.