ASSAM TIMES POST
Guwahati : Thousands of people under the banner of the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) came out to the streets of Guwahati on Friday to protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, while the Indigenous Forum Assam observed a sit-in demonstration opposing the contentious legislation proposed to be introduced in the ongoing winter session of Parliament.
Supporters of the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) led by RTI activist Akhil Gogoi holding banners and placards opposing the Bill took out a massive rally towards the Raj Bhavan as part of its ‘Raj Bhavan Chalo’ agitation to submit
a memorandum through the Governor to the President to register their opposition to CAB.
Raising slogans of “Jai Aai Axom” (hail mother Assam), “Withdraw CAB”, “Assam opposes CAB”, “No CAB in Assam”, the protestors took out the rally led by Akhil Gogoi, Sahitya Akademi awardee and academic Dr Hiren Gohain, former Director general of Police and writer Harekrishna Deka and other eminent citizens of the city.
Akhil Gogoi talking to reporters marching towards the Governor House asserted, “under no circumstance can the anti-indigenous people CAB be accepted by our state as 1.9 crore Hindu Bangladeshis will come to Assam and threaten the existence of the Assamese language besides taking up the jobs here rendering the local people unemployed”.
“As North East region’s Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh state governments have opposed CAB, this Bill will be imposed on Assam and Tripura threatening the existence of the indigenous people. We cannot allow that, Gogoi stated”.
Dr Hiren Gohain also speaking claimed, “an attempt is being made by the Centre to divide Assam on religious lines. We will prevent it. Till our last drop of blood we will oppose CAB which is against the interest of the indigenous people of the state.”
The Indigenous Forum, Assam, led by pro-talk ULFA leaders Anup Chetia, Mrinal Hazarika and human rights activists Lachit Bordoloi and others observed a sit-in demonstration here opposing CAB expressing similar concerns as KMSS.
Protests in Assam against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill since the last one week continued with the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) along with 30 ethnic students organisations on Thursday evening staging massive protest rallies with fire torch lights across the state raising cries against CAB.
Talking to reporters here during the protest march, AASU chief advisir Dr Samujjal Bhattacharya said, “Assam is not the dustbin for illegal Bangladeshis. under the Assam accord 1985 we have already accepted those Bangladeshis who came here illegally upto March 1971. Now more Bangladeshis are being attempted to be brought to Assam through CAB”.
Bhattacharya alleged, “The BJP is trying to polarise society based on religion — it is now time for the indigenous people of the Assam to take a stand. Communal sentiments will never prevail in Assam…only the will of the indigenous people shall prevail in the end.”
Protests erupted in Assam and the North East region states on Monday opposing the proposed Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, with the North East Students Organisation (NESO), its constituent AASU, as well as other organisations including Assam Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad, Left-Democratic Mancha, Assam, separately holding protest rallies and sit-in-demonstrations across the state.
