📷 Image Credits: India Today
In a recent revelation, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma shared that only eight individuals had applied for citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in the state, four months after the rules were notified. This stark contrast emerged amidst the backdrop of anti-CAA protests in Assam that resulted in the tragic deaths of five individuals. The sentiment surrounding citizenship is a sensitive issue in Assam, long embroiled in the anti-outsider movement.
One of the key aspects of the CAA, passed by the Centre in 2019, was to expedite Indian citizenship applications for individuals belonging to religious minorities – Hindus, Parsis, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, and Christians – who fled from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan due to religious persecution before December 31, 2014. Assam, being home to a substantial population of Hindu Bengalis, witnessed the implications of the CAA.
Despite opportunities presented by the CAA, with only eight individuals applying for citizenship and a meager two showing up for interviews, it is evident that there is a lack of participation. Himanta Biswa Sarma highlighted that members of the Bengali Hindu community, especially those not listed in the National Register of Citizens (NRC), were reluctant to apply for citizenship under the CAA, citing pre-1971 Indian residence. The sentiment among Assamese individuals reflects a desire to prove their Indian citizenship through legal means.
Addressing the concerns surrounding cases in the Foreigners Tribunals, Sarma emphasized the need to temporarily halt proceedings to allow individuals to apply for citizenship under the CAA statue. Honoring the statutory instructions, Sarma iterated that those arriving post-2015 would face deportation if they failed to apply. Contrary to misleading reports, Sarma clarified that cases against Hindu Bengalis in Foreigners Tribunals would not be dropped; rather, applicants were urged to apply through the online portal.
During his discourse on anti-CAA protests in Assam, Sarma highlighted the dissonance between protest projections and actual applications, with a mere two individuals participating in interviews out of the projected figures. Referring to the tragic deaths of five individuals during the 2019 protests, Sarma emphasized how Hindu Bengalis, despite possessing documentation proving their Indian heritage, refrained from applying under the CAA, opting to fight legal battles if required.
The narratives shared by families of the deceased individuals, like Sam Stafford and Dipanjal Das, serve as poignant reminders of personal sacrifices in the fight against the contentious law. Groups such as the AASU and KMSS have vowed to intensify the anti-CAA movement, advocating for justice and the withdrawal of the law. Assam’s political landscape witnesses the emergence of several regional parties aligning against the CAA, urging Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to take a stringent stance.
Despite the resurgence of protests post-pandemic lulls, the ruling BJP government in Assam remains confident in their prospects for the upcoming 2021 elections. Assam’s political arena simmers with debates around the impact of anti-CAA movements on electoral outcomes, emphasizing the populace’s inclination towards development and future sustainability over ingrained insecurities.
