Assam elections 2021: AASU announces protest programmes during PM, Shah’s visit

Guwahati, Jan 19: The All Assam Students'' Union (AASU) on Monday said that it will carry out protest programmes, including burning of copies of the CAA, during the proposed visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to the state on January 23 and 24 respectively.

AASU president Dipanko Kumar Nath accused the prime minister and the BJP of failing to keep their promise of safeguarding the Assamese community from illegal migrants.

"Every time there is an election, the prime minister will come and make false statements to woo the people of the state. The people of Assam have now understood the truth behind this politics and will never accept the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA)," Nath said.

The assembly election in Assam is due in March-April this year.

On the day of Modi''s proposed visit on January 23, members of the student body have planned to protest in every district tying a black cloth around their mouth, AASU general secretary Sankarjyoti Barua said.

During the Union home minister''s visit to the state the next day, AASU workers will observe ''Black Day''. "They will fly black flags across Assam and burn copies of the CAA," Baruah said.

The CAA says that members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014 facing religious persecution in those countries will not be treated as illegal immigrants but will be given Indian citizenship.

The AASU, which is also demanding implementation of Clause Six of the Assam Accord, said that it will take out torch rallies across the state on January 22.

Clause Six of the Assam Accord, 1985, says that constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards shall be provided to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people.

The prime minister is proposed to visit Sivasagar district in on January 23, while Shah is slated to arrive in the state on January 24, senior Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has said earlier.

Five persons, including a school student, were killed during police firing in statewide protests in December 2019 against the Citizenship Amendment Bill which, the protestors claimed, is against the existence, heritage and culture of the indigenous people of Assam. The Bill later became an Act.