Act against minister: Prafulla Kumar Mahanta to Assam Governor, Speaker

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: Former Chief Minister and Asom Andolon Sangrami Mancha (AASM) chief adviser Prafulla Kumar Mahanta reeks of a ‘constitutional crisis’ when a few ministers of Assam are ‘provoking religious separatism’ these days.

Talking to the media in Guwahati on Friday, Mahanta said: “The ministers took oath in the name of Indian Constitution. Secularism is the essence of the Preamble of the Constitution. How come ministers provoke religious separatism in this secular country, despite taking oath in the name of the Constitution? The Governor and the Speaker of the State Assembly should take legal action against the erring ministers.”

Mahanta says that the BJP is openly supporting the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019. “The State Government should make it public as to how many people, who left their respective neighbouring countries due to religious persecution, have applied for Indian citizenship in Assam,” Mahanta asserted.

Citing BJP’s national president Amit Shah’s recent statement that the Centre would seek the opinions of State governments while granting Indian citizenship to the minorities of the three neighbouring countries entering India, Mahanta questioned: “Has Dispur given its opinion for such citizenship to any foreigners? India should raise incidents of harassment to Hindus in any other country or countries at the United Nations Organization (UNO). However, New Delhi hasn’t done anything of that sort.”

Mahanta rued the fact that before the 2014 Lok Sabha and 2016 Assembly polls the BJP had assured the people of Assam of implementing the Assam Accord to the letter. “However, after coming to power, it is welcoming Bangladeshis to the State. Isn’t it an anti-national act?” Mahanta questioned, and added: “Now one of the ministers says he doesn’t support the Assam Accord. Tall BJP leaders like former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and others did support the Accord. Even all other parties, including the CPI and the CPI(M), support it. Now the BJP will be bent on getting the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 in the Rajya Sabha, beginning from January 31. We’re trying our best to oppose the Bill with the help of Opposition parties.”

Also read: Prafulla Kumar Mahanta Asks BJP To Seek Fresh Mandate If It Has ‘Guts’