GUWAHATI: At a time when Assam is witnessing protest against land swap deal with Bangladesh, the NDA government’s move on question of giving citizenship to Hindu refugees has stirred another political debate.
Student body All Assam Students’ union which spearheaded six years long anti-foreigners movement has made it clear that such move will not be acceptable here.
AASU president Dipanka Kumar Nath told ET, ” Centre may do whatever it likes for the other parts of the country, for Assam there is Assam accord which clearly states those foreigners who came to Assam after March 25, 1971 are illegal immigrants be it be Hindu or which ever religion.”
Centre is likely to submit a policy document to the Supreme Court in response to a case filed by by NGOs. These NGOs had pleaded that those taking shelter in India must not be bracketed as illegal immigrants.
Aasu stated that Assam has accepted the burden in past however now small state like Assam cannot be made to accept the burden of the refugee.
Assam is going to assembly polls next year and this is seen as BJP’s move to corner Hindu Bengali votes. Hindu Bengali voted for congress during 2011 assembly polls.
BJP national president Amit Shah during a party workers rally in Guwahati recently said owing to religious persecution Hindus are forced to leave Bangladesh. “We will take care of them, provide them shelter however this burden will not be shared by Assam alone and whole country will share it.”
Congress ruled Assam government last year moved Government of India to frame a policy for granting asylum to the persons who have fled religious persecution and discrimination and taken refuge in India during partition.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi had submitted a memorandum to the then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on April 20, 2012, pleading that Indian citizens who had to flee due to religious persecution and discrimination at the time of partition should not be treated as foreigners on humanitarian grounds.
Gogoi had sought refugee status for those foreigners who have come to India from Bangladesh under compulsion.
Even Prime minister, Narendra Modi during electioneering last year had said those Hindu refugees who have come to India from Bangladesh owing to atrocities and persecution must be accepted as Hindu cannot go any other country.
Congress swept the assembly seats in Bengali dominated Barak valley where out of 15 assembly constituencies, congress won 13 seats.
Aasu sharpened its attack on the NDA government stating that undue advantage given to illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators in Assam through the financial inclusion schemes recently launched by the Union government.