Asamiya Yuba Manch has demanded legal action against three leaders of the ‘Cholo Paltai‘ (Let us change) movement on social media.
The three leaders are Garga Chatterjee of Kolkata, Chandan Chattopadhyay of Delhi and Santanu Mukhopadhyay of Assam.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
The Manch has filed cases against these three accusing them of whipping up anti-Assam sentiments.
But police officials say there is still no obvious case against the three that could merit arrest.
Garga Chatterjee told Northeast Now that BJP supporters and Assamese hardliners were needlessly targetting them.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
“We are only highlighting the plight of D voters and those who have been unjustly dragged into detention camps in Assam. Which law prevents us from raising issues connected to the rights of Bengali speaking people in Assam! They are going through a very tough time,” he said.
Assamese rights activist Dulal Bora has also sued these three.
They are seen as close to Trinamool Congress and there is a gnawing suspicion that West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee is behind this social media drive to undermine the NRC exercise which she has opposed.
But Trinamool Congress leaders deny any link with the ‘Cholo Paltai‘ activity.
“We have nothing to do with this,” said West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee.
Bengali groups like the All Assam Bangali Yuva Chatra federation have asked Bangla speaking residents of Assam to stay away from this movement.
“We fight for the rights of Bengalis here but we don’t want any aggressive hardline Bangali organization to interfere. They will only complicate matters,” said a spokesman of Bangali Yuva Chatra federation.
Bengali intellectuals like former vice chancellor of Assam University Tapodhir Bhattacharya have been sued by Assamese hardliners for writing in media about the harassment faced during the NRC exercise by Bengali Hindus and Muslims.