While protests have started on a government order asking tribunal to drop cases against Hindu Bangladeshi, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said the state government has not issued any "special" directive to drop cases of non-Muslim illegal foreigners adding that these people are protected under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
The All-Assam Students’ Union (AASU) has stated the state government directed the Foreigners' Tribunal (FT) to withdraw cases pending in Tribunals against illegal Hindu Bangladesh immigrants.
AASU stated the order from the state government stated, “The DCs and Sr. SPs to take a review of the status of all the Foreigners (Pakistani/ Bangladeshi/ Rohingya). As per the amendments made to the Citizenship Act, the FTs are not supposed to pursue cases of foreigners belonging to the six specified communities (Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, Sikh, Parsi and Jain communities) who had entered Assam on or prior to 31.12.2014. It was suggested to stop all such cases. In this regard, the district Commissioner and the Senior SPs should immediately convey a meeting with their respective FT members and also review the development periodically and submit the action taken report to this department."
AASU further stated the order stated, “However, such foreigners should be encouraged and supported for applying for Indian citizenship as per provisions of Citizenship Amendment Act. The Government of Assam had issued clear cut instructions for withdrawal of all cases filed against people belonging to Gorkha and Koch Rajbongshi communities, this should be complied with forthwith”.
Sarma on Thursday said, “The state government has not issued any direction, except what has already been provided in the CAA. If there is any cabinet decision, I always come and share it with you. No special decision has been taken.”
He said that the CAA protects Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Parsis who entered India on or before December 31, 2014, from punitive action. “That is the law of the land unless the Supreme Court strikes it down. For that, no special decision is required,” he added.
Sarma said that the state cabinet had earlier taken decisions on withdrawing Foreigners Tribunal (FT) cases—one concerning the Koch-Rajbongshi community and the other regarding Gorkhas.
AASU on Friday protested the directive in several areas including Guwahati, Nalbari, Tezpur, Sivasagar, Jorhat, and Raha. The protestors symbolically burned copies of the directive.
In Guwahati, protestors gathered in front of Shaheed Bhawan, waving banners, shouting slogans, and burning copies of the directive.
With the Assam government unleashing a series of eviction drives, vigilantes’ groups have spread across Upper Assam in search of suspected illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. These groups are checking if their respective areas have suspected immigrants.
In the last four and half year’s series of eviction drives were launched by the BJP led government. However recently there have been back-to-back eviction drives evicting as many 50,000 families. There is growing concern that evicted people might shift to new locations in the area itself.
This has triggered a vigilante group going to trace foreigners and raising concern among a section of people as these groups took to themselves the work of the government and law enforcement. Some groups have set an August 15 deadline for alleged illegal immigrants to leave Upper Assam or face dire consequences.
The All-Assam Students’ Union (AASU) has stated the state government directed the Foreigners' Tribunal (FT) to withdraw cases pending in Tribunals against illegal Hindu Bangladesh immigrants.
AASU stated the order from the state government stated, “The DCs and Sr. SPs to take a review of the status of all the Foreigners (Pakistani/ Bangladeshi/ Rohingya). As per the amendments made to the Citizenship Act, the FTs are not supposed to pursue cases of foreigners belonging to the six specified communities (Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, Sikh, Parsi and Jain communities) who had entered Assam on or prior to 31.12.2014. It was suggested to stop all such cases. In this regard, the district Commissioner and the Senior SPs should immediately convey a meeting with their respective FT members and also review the development periodically and submit the action taken report to this department."
AASU further stated the order stated, “However, such foreigners should be encouraged and supported for applying for Indian citizenship as per provisions of Citizenship Amendment Act. The Government of Assam had issued clear cut instructions for withdrawal of all cases filed against people belonging to Gorkha and Koch Rajbongshi communities, this should be complied with forthwith”.
Sarma on Thursday said, “The state government has not issued any direction, except what has already been provided in the CAA. If there is any cabinet decision, I always come and share it with you. No special decision has been taken.”
He said that the CAA protects Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Parsis who entered India on or before December 31, 2014, from punitive action. “That is the law of the land unless the Supreme Court strikes it down. For that, no special decision is required,” he added.
Sarma said that the state cabinet had earlier taken decisions on withdrawing Foreigners Tribunal (FT) cases—one concerning the Koch-Rajbongshi community and the other regarding Gorkhas.
AASU on Friday protested the directive in several areas including Guwahati, Nalbari, Tezpur, Sivasagar, Jorhat, and Raha. The protestors symbolically burned copies of the directive.
In Guwahati, protestors gathered in front of Shaheed Bhawan, waving banners, shouting slogans, and burning copies of the directive.
With the Assam government unleashing a series of eviction drives, vigilantes’ groups have spread across Upper Assam in search of suspected illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. These groups are checking if their respective areas have suspected immigrants.
In the last four and half year’s series of eviction drives were launched by the BJP led government. However recently there have been back-to-back eviction drives evicting as many 50,000 families. There is growing concern that evicted people might shift to new locations in the area itself.
This has triggered a vigilante group going to trace foreigners and raising concern among a section of people as these groups took to themselves the work of the government and law enforcement. Some groups have set an August 15 deadline for alleged illegal immigrants to leave Upper Assam or face dire consequences.
