The 30-hour-long hunger strike, being observed by the Majuli unit of the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) started on Monday demanding scrapping of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 at Garmur in the island district.
The AASU activists protested against the Central Government’s move to grant Indian citizenship to illegal migrants including Hindu Bangladeshis by implementing the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016.
The leaders said that the Bill would jeopardise the identity of the indigenous people of the State and affect the Assamese language.
The leaders during the protest demanded constitutional safeguard to the indigenous people of Assam on the basis of the Assam Accord, implementation of the Assam Accord, withdrawal of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, sealing of the India-Bangladesh border and signing of a bilateral agreement between India and Bangladesh for deportation of illegal Bangladeshis.
The leaders further said, “The Central Government’s attempt to amend the Citizenship Bill on the basis of religion would be an insult to the historic Assam Accord of 1985 which will also partially affect the National Register Citizens (NRC) work.”
The AASU activists also said, “The Centre’s proposed Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 is against various provisions of the Indian Constitution. If the Bill is passed by the Parliament it would definitely hamper the demography of the State.”
The Pathsala regional unit of the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) also observed a 30-hour-long hunger strike in front of the AASU office at Harimandir premises in Pathsala town under Barpeta district from May 26 to May 27 in protest against the Citizenship Bill.
The central committee leaders of the AASU including its chief advisor Samujjal Kr Bhattacharya recently also called on Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar seeking his support against the Citizenship Bill 2016 and submitted various supporting documents in the matter.