by Preetam BC

Kokrajhar : The Kokrajhar district committee of All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), along with 28 other organisations on Thursday carried out a ‘gana satyagraha’ in Kokrajhar town in protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.

 

Several organizations like the All Bodo Students Union, All Rabha Students Union, Santali Student Union, Al lAssam Nath Yogi Students Union, Karmachari Parishad, All Assam Goria Goria Jatiya Parishad, All Assam Gorkha Students Union, senior citizens, members of civil society and others participated in the protest which started from Children Park through the street of Kokrajhar shouting slogans.

 

Participating in the rally, Nabajyoti Roy, assistant general secretary of AASU (central committee)  said “The people of Assam through protest have already made it known to the government that we are against the bill. The bill should be scrapped as it is a threat to the culture, language and identity of indigenous people of Assam. According to the 1985 Assam Accord, who had come to the state after March 24,1971, should be treated as illegal migrants, he said adding that ‘The Centre should adhere to the Assam Accord clauses.

 

The bill that seeks to grant citizenship by naturalisation to minorities from Bangladesh,  Pakistan belonging to the Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who came to India before December 31, 2014 was introduced in Lok Sabha in July 2016 and it was referred to the joint committee of both the Houses for examination prior to presenting a report in Parliament.