The North East Students’ Organisation (NESO), an umbrella body of student organisations from Northeastern states, on Tuesday reiterated their opposition to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act or CAA and said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will face protests over the law if he visits the region.
Samujjal Bhattacharya of the All Assam Students Union of Assam (AASU), a NESO constituent, said they will not disrupt either exams or the Khelo India Youth Games scheduled in Assam from January 10. “But if the PM [Modi] visits Assam, we will organise non-violent protests... there will be peaceful Gandhian protests,” he said at a press conference here.
The NESO includes organisations like the AASU, Naga Students Union of Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union, Mizo Zirlai Pawal, Khasi Students Union of Meghalaya and Tripura Students’ Federation.
NESO chairman Samuel B Jyrwa said the CAA is based on religion and violates the Constitution. “We do not distinguish on the basis of religion but on the basis of identity.”
The CAA was passed last month to fast-track citizenship for non-Muslim refugees, who have entered India from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh before 2015. Its opponents say the law is unconstitutional because it links faith to citizenship in a secular country and is discriminatory because it leaves out Muslims.
Protests against the law first erupted in the Northeast, where people fear it could result in a fresh influx of outsiders. The protests have since spread across the country. At least 21 people died in the violence during anti-CAA protests in Uttar Pradesh on December 20 and 21.
{{/usCountry}}Protests against the law first erupted in the Northeast, where people fear it could result in a fresh influx of outsiders. The protests have since spread across the country. At least 21 people died in the violence during anti-CAA protests in Uttar Pradesh on December 20 and 21.
{{/usCountry}}The opponents of the law say it could result in the expulsion or detention of Muslims unable to provide the documentation if the law is seen in conjunction with a proposed pan-India National Register of Citizens (NRC). An exercise to identify undocumented immigrants in Assam led to the exclusion of over 1.9 million people from the NRC last year.
Bhattacharya said their non-violent movement against the CAA will continue across the Northeast until it is repealed.
“Those who are supporting the CAA are communal. We are against both Hindus and Muslims, who have entered the country illegally, to protect the indigenous people of the Northeast.”
Bhattacharya said the CAA violates the 1985 Assam Accord, which was signed following a protracted agitation in the 1980s to press for the expulsion of undocumented immigrants irrespective of their faith. The NRC process was carried out in Assam in line with the accord.
BJP spokesperson Sudesh Verma said those who have decided to protest against the CAA should definitely read the legislation.
“It has been brought keeping the interests of all in mind and speaking about Assam, it does not apply to the state. The opposition has been trying to create misconceptions on the issue. I would request all to go through the provisions of the law,” he said.