Forum Against Citizenship Act Amendment Bill (FACAAB) on Saturday demanded unconditional withdrawal of the bill, while announcing that it would soon challenge the two notifications relating to the Foreigners Act, 1946, and the Passport (Entry Into India) Act, 1920, in the Supreme Court.

The organisation also said it would not accept the bill if Bangladesh was removed from its ambit and urged the people not to be misled by such wordplay.

FACAAB chairman Hiren Gohain said, “The bill is like a time bomb. If citizenship is granted on religious grounds or someone is deprived due to it, it will be against the tenets of the Constitution. The BJP is spreading the concept of a Hindu Rashtra. It will have wide ramifications if it reaches the state. Thousands of people have protested against the bill and we extend our support to them. We want the bill to be withdrawn unconditionally”.

Gohain added that the Assamese people have been facing disasters during the state’s history and the bill is another. He appealed to the people to remain united and protest against the bill till it is withdrawn.

Member Manjit Mahanta said, “The recent decisions of the joint parliamentary committee on the bill are not acceptable. Some members have suggested removal of Bangladesh from the bill. This will not remove Assam or the problems of the state. Others say the word Hindu should be deleted and ‘minority’ be used instead. But minorities in the countries related to the bill are mostly Hindus. The JPC is likely to argue in favour of the bill. There should be no dilution of the provision but a complete withdrawal of the bill”.

Senior member Harekrishna Deka said the bill “violates Article 14 of the Constitution.”