NESO, AASU demand scrapping of CAA; vow to continue non-violent agitation

The North East Students' Organisation (NESO) and the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) on Tuesday demanded scrapping of the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), saying they cannot allow "illegal Bangladeshis" to flood the region and rule over indigenous people.

Addressing a press conference here, NESO and AASU advisor Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharya accused Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal of betraying the cause of the people of the state by supporting the newly enacted legislation.

"The CAA is communal, unconstitutional and it violates the Constitution. We will continue our non-violent agitation against the new law till it is scrapped," he said.

Bhattacharya said the CAA is a "ploy" of the Narendra Modi government to give citizenship to illegal immigrants.

"We can't allow illegal Bangladeshis to come, settle and rule over the people of Assam and the Northeast," he said.

Asked about the stand of Sonowal, his once comrade-in-arms, Bhattacharya claimed the chief minister has become "anti-indigenous people" and protecting the illegal Bangladeshis.

"Sonowal is running a killer government. Innocent students were killed by his government. He has completely isolated himself," he claimed.

Bhattacharya asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah whether they will allow illegal Pakistanis to enter Gujarat through Indo-Pakistan border "the way they are allowing Bangladeshis to come to Assam".