The ‘Bajra Ninad’ (thunder of protest) organised by 30 indigenous communities organizations and All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) added much decibels to the ongoing protests against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 in the region.
Participated by prominent leaders of various ethnic organizations, students’ organisations, editors, intellectuals, cultural leaders etc., Braja Ninad warned the BJP-led government at the Centre against enacting the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 ignoring the mass protests in the Northeast region.
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The massive participation in the protest rally at Latasil playground near Gauhati High Court in the heart of the city, reflected the grave concern of ethnic communities of the region over the contentious Bill that has been already passed in Lok Sabha.
Speakers after speaker in the rally highlighted how this Bill that seeks to grant Indian citizenship to six persecuted minority communities from neighbouring Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, would jeopardise rights and livelihood of ethnic communities in the region.
The president of the North East Students’ Organisation (NESO), Samuel Jyrwa terming the Bill a grave threat to the identity of the entire ethnic communities in the region said, “We have to take a vow to intensify our region-wide movement against the Bill which has been passed in Lok Sabha and the Centre is planning to get it passed in Rajya Sabha. The BJP wants to alter the Constitution of India through this Bill.”
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The AASU general secretary Lurinjyoti Gogoi said, “Sarbananda Sonowal is a spineless Chief Minister of the 21st Century. Sonowal should remember his deeds and efforts of past for the welfare of the indigenous people. It is time the chief minister should leaf through the pages of history of the movement for change he was involved in.”
The All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU) president, Promod Boro addressing the rally said, “We are a fighting race and we have to keep fighting for our rights following the ideals of stalwarts like Gopinath Bardoloi, Bhimbar Deuri, Rupnath Brahma etc. Narendra Modi and the BJP should not consider people of Assam a meek lot.”
The general secretary of All Assam Tribal Sangha, Aditya Khakhlari warned, “The BJP will be barred from all tribal-dominated areas in Assam if the BJP-led government at the Centre doesn’t withdraw the Citizenship Bill immediately.”