The Bhubaneswar Assam Society staged an anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019 protest at Lower PMG in Bhubaneswar, the state capital city of Odisha.
The Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB), 2019 has become an Act after it got the assent of President Ram Nath Kovind on December 12 after the bill was passed by both the Houses of the Parliament.
More than hundreds of people from the Northeast, staying in Odisha, participated in the democratic protest against the Citizens Amendment Act (CAA), 2019 on Saturday.
The citizens from Assam living in Bhubaneswar also condemned the killing of innocent citizens and police atrocities on the peaceful protestors, the Assamese Society of Bhubaneswar informed.
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They also appealed to the central government as well as the Assam government to refrain from the inhuman act and organized condolence meet for the innocent souls who lost their lives in police firing in Assam during anti-CAA protest.
The participants addressed the gathering and vehemently opposed the implementation of the CAA in Assam.
The participants in the protest programme clarified that they are not against any religion Hindu, Muslim or anybody else but they vehemently oppose Bangladeshi infiltrators., the Assamese Society of Bhubaneswar added.
A large number of foreigners have infiltrated into Northeast, particularly Assam, for years through the porous Indo-Bangla border, which has posed a serious threat to the indigenous culture, language, and identity.
The Act seeks to grant Indian citizenship to persons belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have migrated to India after facing persecution on grounds of religion in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh if they fulfil conditions for grant of citizenship.
Also read: Protest in Bengaluru against Citizenship Amendment Act
The participants have demanded complete implementation of the Assam Accord, detect and deport the illegal Bangladeshis irrespective of any religion and protect the indigenous people under Clause 6 of the Assam Accord.
The participants also pledged to remain united with fellow citizens of the Northeast and to continue their democratic fight against divisive forces working against the interests of the indigenous people of Assam as well as the entire Northeast.
The protest programme concluded with the singing of the state anthem of Assam ‘O Mor Aponar Desh’.