The All Assam Dimasa Students’ Union (AADSU), while opposing the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016, has demanded the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Bill to hold public hearing in Dima Hasao district.
Talking to media persons after the Union’s central executive meeting at Haflong on Sunday, AADSU President Nabin Johori said, “We oppose the implementation of the Bill and urge the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Bill to hold public hearing in Dima Hasao district.”
In Assam, the JPC conducted public hearing on the Bill on May 7, 2018 while it conducted hearing on May 8 and 9 at Silchar in the Barak Valley.
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AADSU Advisor Prafulla Hapila also condemned the BJP-led Central government’s move to implement the Bill for providing citizenship to illegal Hindu Bangladeshis.
Talking to the media, Hapila also said, “Sarbananda Sonowal during the 2016 Assembly election campaign had said that the election was the second battle of Saraighat while the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) had assured that they would make the State immigrant-free. But now, the Central government is in favour of bringing illegal Hindu Bangladeshis to Assam, which we will never allow to happen.”
The AADSU Advisor further informed that the Union submitted a memorandum along with other 28 organisations of the State before the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) in protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.
Talking to the media, Hapila also said, “The indigenous people of the State are now in crisis of existence. The immigrants have illegally occupied lands under the tribal belts too. The Congress government in their 15 years of rule pushed the State far back while Sarbananda Sonowal-led State government is busy in bringing illegal Hindu Bangladeshis to Assam.”
Moreover, Hapila alleged that the Central government had not given any importance to solve the foreigners’ issue in Dima Hasao though the district secured autonomous council status in 1952 under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
AADSU’s Dima Hasao District President Uttam Langthasa, Secretaries Anuj Kemprai, Sanjiban Langthasa, AADSU General Secretary Mairing Johori and Organising Secretary Swadeep Hasam were also present in the central executive meeting of the organisation on Sunday.