Hindu Bangladeshis to get Indian citizenship too few to pose a threat to Assamese: Sonowal

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: At long last, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has put up a brave front on the CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act), 2019 and made an attempt to drive home that the Bangladeshi Hindus who are going to get Indian citizenship under the new Act are too few to pose a threat the land, language, literature and culture of the Assamese.

Addressing a press conference here on Friday, Sonowal said, “If I cannot work for the wellbeing of the people of the State, for whom I’m the Chief Minister? Don’t doubt our patriotism. I’m always among you. I’ll always work for the safety and security of the indigenous people of the State. So long I’m the Chief Minister of the State I won’t let anything and anyone to weaken the Assamese. I’ll keep the dignity of the Assamese intact. To keep various rights and privileges of the indigenous Assamese intact, the Clause 6 of the Assam Accord will be implemented. The Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister have been keen to implement this clause of the Assam Accord. The high-level committee formed on Clause 6 of the Accord is going to submit its report to the government within a month. I assure you that Assamese will remain the State language forever.”

Sonowal said, “A section has been misleading the people of the State with the number of Bangladeshi Hindus who’re going to get Indian citizenship through the CAA. The number of beneficiaries under the new Act is very few. They can barely make a dent on the land, language, literature and culture of the Assamese. The picture will be clear when we’ll make the total number of applicants for Indian citizenship under the CAA public. Not a single Bangladeshi currently in Bangladesh can avail the benefits under this Act. Only those Bangladeshi Hindus who have been here for years can apply for Indian citizenship”.

On the current agitation in the State against the CAA, Sonowal said, “We respect those who have been agitating democratically. We’ve invited them for talks. People of the State belonging to Tea Tribe and Islamic faith have nothing to worry with the CAB (Citizenship Amendment Bill) becoming an Act.”

“Beware of the lobby that has been misleading the people of the State with false information on the new Act. They’re out to grab power,” Sonowal said.

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