Guwahati, 23rd April: Lurinjyoti Gogoi, a prominent figure within the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) and Dibrugarh Lok Sabha candidate, has vehemently criticized the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) following Union Minister Kiren Rijiju’s recent statement regarding the potential resettlement of the Chakma community in Assam.
Gogoi highlighted Rijiju’s remarks as indicative of the Chakma community’s consideration of Assam for citizenship under the CAA due to the Arunachal Pradesh government’s denial of citizenship. He underscored the Act’s implications, emphasizing its perceived undermining of the rights of indigenous people, a sentiment shared by both state and central governments.
Asserting widespread opposition to the CAA among the state’s population, Gogoi emphasized that the issue has become central to the ongoing Lok Sabha election. He reported active participation and vocal dissent against the Act during the first phase of the election, expressing concerns that its implementation could plunge the indigenous population into a period of uncertainty and darkness.
Echoing Gogoi’s sentiments, Assam Congress leader Bhupen Borah accused Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of colluding in a dangerous conspiracy against the state. Borah referenced an alleged order from Union Home Minister Amit Shah to settle 5 lakh Hajong-Chakma refugees in Assam, a revelation inadvertently disclosed by Rijiju during a press conference.
Contradicting Rijiju’s earlier claims of the CAA benefiting Arunachal Pradesh, Borah anticipated widespread rejection of the proposal by the people of Assam, with anticipated dissent evident in the upcoming votes scheduled for April 26 and May 7.