Protests over Indian citizenship for Hindu Bangladeshis in Assam
India's BJP government, committed to granting Indian citizenship to Hindu Bangladeshis, is facing stiff opposition in Assam. Assam has a BJP government as well but local groups are virulently opposed to its plans for granting citizenship to Hindu Bangladeshis who came to the state after March 1971. The BJP's coalition partner Asom Gana Parishad's (AGP) has demanded introduction of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the state for protection of its indigenous people.
Former AGP chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta appealed to the Government of India to give the indigenous people of Assam special constitutional safeguards under the ILP system to ensure that the Bangladeshi refugees, after being settled in other states of India, cannot come back to Assam. Three states of Northeast IndiaMizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland have the Inner Line Permit system which restricts the entry and stay of outsiders. Several local organisations in Manipur have been out on streets demanding introduction of ILP for a long time now.
Share Quote 2016/9/28 Protests over Indian citizenship for Hindu Bangladeshis in Assam bdnews24.com http://bdnews24.com/neighbours/2016/09/26/protestsoverindiancitizenshipforhindubangladeshisinassam 2/2 The former chief minister said that although the BJP might support Hindu Bangladeshis but the AGP will not let Assam's interest be harmed. The AGP has two ministers in the current Assam government headed by BJP Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. Before the Assam assembly poll, the AGP had severely opposed the issue of granting citizenship to Hindu Bangladeshis but later they fought the election in alliance with the BJP and are now partners in government. Mahanta is the chief advisor of Asom Andolan Sangrami Manch (AASM), a platform of the participants of the Assam Movement (19791985).
He recently said that the people of Assam should unite in their protest to ensure that the Government of India cannot amend the Citizenship Act in favour of Hindu Bangladeshis. The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, which was tabled in Parliament on Aug 11 this year, seeks to give citizenship rights to persecuted religious minorities from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan. It is currently being examined by a parliament select committee after opposition parties said it needed more scrutiny. The AASM has asked the people of Assam to send emails to the Joint Select Committee formed by the Central government to amend the Citizenship Act to oppose the settlement of Hindu Bangladeshis in the state.
Mahanta said that according to the Assam Accord all infiltrators who came to Assam after 1971 will have to leave. Otherwise, all such people will be identified and deported. The AASM has moved the Guwahati High Court against the government decision to grant citizenship to Hindu Bangladeshis. The Court has sought detailed information in this regard from departments responsible at both the Union and State governments. The AASM has stated before the court that if the government decides to settle the Hindu Bangladeshis in West Bengal or any other state, it would not affect them.
Several organisations like All Assam Student's Union and the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Parishad have continued to protest the decision of granting of Indian citizenship to Hindu Bangladeshis in different ways. Assam Sahitya Sabha, a literary body Assam has also registered its protest over the issue. Meanwhile, an organisation representing indigenous Assamese Muslims, All Assam Goriya Moriya Desi Jatiya Parishad has sent a memorandum to the joint select committee of Parliament in protest against giving citizenship to illegal Hindu Bangladeshi refugees.
President of the Parishad, Rafiul Hussain Baruah and General secretary Fajlul Karim Hazarika said that the Indian Government is trying to jeopardize the future of the indigenous people by bypassing the Assam Accord. If the Government does that, the people of Assam will also be deprived of a correct National Register of Citizens (NRC), the Parishad
India's BJP government, committed to granting Indian citizenship to Hindu Bangladeshis, is facing stiff opposition in Assam. Assam has a BJP government as well but local groups are virulently opposed to its plans for granting citizenship to Hindu Bangladeshis who came to the state after March 1971. The BJP's coalition partner Asom Gana Parishad's (AGP) has demanded introduction of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the state for protection of its indigenous people.
Former AGP chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta appealed to the Government of India to give the indigenous people of Assam special constitutional safeguards under the ILP system to ensure that the Bangladeshi refugees, after being settled in other states of India, cannot come back to Assam. Three states of Northeast IndiaMizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland have the Inner Line Permit system which restricts the entry and stay of outsiders. Several local organisations in Manipur have been out on streets demanding introduction of ILP for a long time now.
Share Quote 2016/9/28 Protests over Indian citizenship for Hindu Bangladeshis in Assam bdnews24.com http://bdnews24.com/neighbours/2016/09/26/protestsoverindiancitizenshipforhindubangladeshisinassam 2/2 The former chief minister said that although the BJP might support Hindu Bangladeshis but the AGP will not let Assam's interest be harmed. The AGP has two ministers in the current Assam government headed by BJP Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. Before the Assam assembly poll, the AGP had severely opposed the issue of granting citizenship to Hindu Bangladeshis but later they fought the election in alliance with the BJP and are now partners in government. Mahanta is the chief advisor of Asom Andolan Sangrami Manch (AASM), a platform of the participants of the Assam Movement (19791985).
He recently said that the people of Assam should unite in their protest to ensure that the Government of India cannot amend the Citizenship Act in favour of Hindu Bangladeshis. The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, which was tabled in Parliament on Aug 11 this year, seeks to give citizenship rights to persecuted religious minorities from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan. It is currently being examined by a parliament select committee after opposition parties said it needed more scrutiny. The AASM has asked the people of Assam to send emails to the Joint Select Committee formed by the Central government to amend the Citizenship Act to oppose the settlement of Hindu Bangladeshis in the state.
Mahanta said that according to the Assam Accord all infiltrators who came to Assam after 1971 will have to leave. Otherwise, all such people will be identified and deported. The AASM has moved the Guwahati High Court against the government decision to grant citizenship to Hindu Bangladeshis. The Court has sought detailed information in this regard from departments responsible at both the Union and State governments. The AASM has stated before the court that if the government decides to settle the Hindu Bangladeshis in West Bengal or any other state, it would not affect them.
Several organisations like All Assam Student's Union and the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Parishad have continued to protest the decision of granting of Indian citizenship to Hindu Bangladeshis in different ways. Assam Sahitya Sabha, a literary body Assam has also registered its protest over the issue. Meanwhile, an organisation representing indigenous Assamese Muslims, All Assam Goriya Moriya Desi Jatiya Parishad has sent a memorandum to the joint select committee of Parliament in protest against giving citizenship to illegal Hindu Bangladeshi refugees.
President of the Parishad, Rafiul Hussain Baruah and General secretary Fajlul Karim Hazarika said that the Indian Government is trying to jeopardize the future of the indigenous people by bypassing the Assam Accord. If the Government does that, the people of Assam will also be deprived of a correct National Register of Citizens (NRC), the Parishad
