GUWAHATI, May 7 – Reiterating that there has been widespread resentment in Assam after the Bill to amend the Citizenship Act was tabled in the Parliament, the Congress today told the JPC that all parties and organizations in Assam, except for the BJP, is opposed to the Bill.“The Bill has created distrust and division among different sections in the State. It is also against the principles of the Constitution,” a Congress delegation led by APCC president Ripun Bora told the JPC during its day-long public hearing here.

The opposition party said the citizenship Bill has become a burning issue affecting the lives of more than three crore people in the State.

“The State had already passed a turbulent period between 1979 to 1985 when there was a mass movement against illegal migrants in which many people got martyred. This new Bill will endanger the cultural, political and social identity of Assam,” the Congress said in a memorandum signed by Bora, former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, opposition leader Debabrata Saikia and other senior leaders.

Asking the JPC to keep intact the provisions of the Assam Accord for the interest of Assam and the country, the Congress said the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 is going to destroy the basic principle of the State Reorganization Act, 1956 which was enacted on the recommendations of the State Reorganization Commission of 1953 constituted by the Government of India under which states were created on linguistic basis.

The Congress also pointed out to the process of updating the NRC which is being done to ensure that illegal influx of migrants cannot pose a threat to the unique identity of the people of Assam.

News Source Assam Tribune