The BJP on Monday hit out at the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) blaming it for misleading the public against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
It also alleged that the ongoing movement against CAA had been diluted by a section of leaders only for their vested political interests.
Assam BJP spokesperson Rupam Goswami told reporters here that the AASU had no right to oppose the law as it did not oppose the previous amendments made to the Citizenship Act in 1986 and 1992.
Goswami said, “Why did the AASU did not utter a single word when the Citizenship Act was amended twice earlier? The current law has been challenged in the Supreme Court and it is sub-judice. Hence, there is no point orchestrating protests on the roads. This is completely illogical.”
The 1986 and 1992 amendments to the Act held it is no longer enough to be born in India to be granted citizenship. It held that for a person born outside India on or after January 26, 1950, but before December 10, 1992, citizenship will be granted by descent if his or her father is a citizen. Those born outside India after December 10, 1992, will be granted citizenship if at least one of their parents is an Indian citizen.
“It only proves that the ongoing movement led by AASU and Silpi Samaj had a separate motive to form a political front. BJP welcomes the idea and if they want to fight us politically, we will answer them politically too. There is no point to continue this ruckus in the name of foreigners and misleading the common people by arousing their sentiments,” Goswami said.
Asking the AASU to come for a debate, Goswami said, “The anti-CAA groups are demanding exclusion of Assam from the Act’s purview but how is it logical? Even if Assam is excluded, anyone residing in the state, who is left out of the National Register of Citizens (NRC), can apply for Indian citizenship from a different state. Once granted citizenship, he or she can easily come and resettle in Assam. What’s the logic? The entire anti-CAA movement is simply unclear and the BJP demands that AASU clarifies its stand.”
The BJP leader also criticised former MP and litterateur Nagen Saikia for advocating the formation of a political alternative in the state against the BJP. “If Saikia wanted to serve the Assamese community, he could have done it by giving his contribution to the high-powered committee for implementation of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord, rather than walking out of it,” he added.
On Tuesday, the BJP and its alliance partners will hold a peace rally in favour of CAA in Upper Assam’s Biswanath district.