The All Assam Students' Union (AASU) staged statewide protests on Friday at district headquarters, strongly opposing the Assam government's reported directive to withdraw all citizenship-related cases against illegal Hindu migrants.
The Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had denied media reports on Thursday that his government has asked officials of the foreigners tribunals to drop cases against members of six communities—Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, and Parsi—who entered the state before 2015, citing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).
However, the CM's assurances have not cut ice with AASU, which has spearheaded anti-CAA protests in the state.
In Guwahati, members of AASU's Kamrup Mahanagar district unit assembled in front of the Swahid Nyas, where they burned copies of the reported directive and shouted anti-government slogans.
Addressing the media, AASU President Utpal Sarma said, "The Government of Assam has issued instructions to all Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police to withdraw citizenship-related cases against illegal Hindu migrants from Bangladesh. These directives are unacceptable."
"AASU firmly opposes this move. As a mark of protest, we have burned copies of the directive at all district headquarters today. We reiterate our stand against the CAA and demand that the government withdraw this decision, which effectively protects illegal Hindu Bangladeshis in foreigners' tribunals," he said.
Utpal Sarma also reiterated AASU's consistent demand for the full implementation of the Assam Accord.
"Only those who entered Assam before March 24, 1971—regardless of religion—are eligible for Indian citizenship. Anyone who came after that, Hindu or Muslim, must be identified and expelled. That has always been our stand," Mr Sarma said.
He concluded by announcing that protests would continue across the state until the government revokes the directive and upholds the constitutional and historical sanctity of the Assam Accord.
