AASU and 30 ethnic organizations stage massive protest against CAB at Lakhimpur

A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR: Thousands of activists of Lakhimpur district unit of All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) and 30 ethnic organizations of the State rocked Lakhimpur, initiating massive protest on Thursday evening against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.

Regarding the issue, the activists of the organizations took out a torch rally demanding not to pass the controversial Bill in the ongoing Parliament session and to scrap the Bill immediately. The organizations termed the Bill as ‘destructive’ to Assam and the Assamese community and a tremendous threat to the indigenous culture and languages. As per their opinion, whatever humanitarian consideration prompted the proposed amendment granting citizenship to persons belonging to minority communities, namely Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh, it was going to be highly inimical to the indigenous people of Assam and to the federal structure of the State. The State of Assam is already overburdened with high influx of foreign nationals from Bangladesh, causing serious economic and social distress and identity crisis for the indigenous communities of Assam. Under these circumstances, the proposed amendment poses an existential threat to the existing indigenous communities.

The dignitaries of the organizations warned the Union and State governments not to pass CAB by neglecting the democratic agitations of various organizations, ridiculing the supreme sacrifice of 855 martyrs of the Assam Movement and violating the conditions of the Assam Accord.

Lakhimpur AASU president Pulok Jyoti Borah and general secretary Dhanmoni Dutta flayed Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, criticizing him sharply for his attitude over the contentious Bill contrary to the activities of his counterparts of other north-eastern States. The organizations also condemned Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma for his frequent reactions in support of CAB in order to ‘show’ his ‘existence’ in Assam politics.

The protesters rocked the environment of North Lakhimpur town by shouting slogans against CAB, Union and State governments and the Prime Minister.

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