Assam Sahitya Sabha says it will move SC against citizenship

Assam Sahitya Sabha, the premier literary organisation of the state, said on Sunday that they move the Supreme Court for revocation of the amended Citizenship Act.

The Sabha also demands the release of all arrested, including KMSS chief Akhil Gogoi, who were exercising their constitutional right of protesting, its president Parmananda Rajbongshi told PTI.

"We have always opposed the Bill and now that it has become an Act, we have discussed the matter with lawyers and decided to file a petition in the Supreme Court by December 17," he said.

The Sabha also demanded that the government must immediately bring Assam under the Inner Line Permit (ILP) regime and also ensure the protection of Assamese and all other indigenous people in the state.

"Our opposition to the Bill before it became an Act has been made clear since the beginning and we can never accept as it threatens the language and culture of the indigenous population," Rajbongshi said.

The Sabha will hold a protest meeting and a rally in Guwahati on December 18, demanding the citizenship law's revocation.