Aasu warns Centre against Citizenship bill NRC TO BEGIN IN ODISHA’S KENDRAPARA
A day after Union home minister Amit Shah announced to bring in the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, the powerful All Assam Students’ Union (Aasu) warned that New Delhi should not play with the sentiments of the people of Assam and other northeastern states.
Referring the statement of the home minister, the Aasu also threatened that it would be forced to launch a democratic movement if the Centre tries to impose the CAB against the wishes of the people.
Defining the CAB in violation to the spirit of the Assam Accord, the Aasu general secretary Mr Lurin Jyoti Gogoi said that the students’ body was not prepared to accept it.
He pointed out that as per the Assam Accord, all foreigners, who came to Assam after March 24, 1971 should be detected and deported irrespective of their religion.
He also regretted that the Centre’s move to try and give citizenship to foreigners on the basis of religion is unconstitutional as India is a secular country.
“The imposition of the CAB would pose a threat to the political rights, language and culture of the indigenous people of Assam and other northeastern states,” he said. The process for identification of illegal migrants in Odisha’s Kendrapara district is likely to begin soon as Union ministry of home affairs has written to the Registrar General of India in this regard.
Mohit Aggrawal, a lawyer in the Odisha High Court, had filed a report on November 26, 2018 urging the court to direct the Central and state governments to update the National Register of Citizens in Kendrapara.
The High Court had then directed a committee formed under the chairmanship of additional chief secretary, forest and environment department, Odisha to consider and take appropriate action on the suggestions made by the lawyer, who was appointed as the amicus curiae in the matter by the court. Shakti Prakash, assistant commandant (legal), Union ministry of home affairs, in a letter to the Registrar General of India has asked it to take further necessary action in this connection.