Protests in Assam on August 8 against state govt's Hindu Bangladeshi decision

Guwahati: The All-Assam Students’ Union (AASU) has announced a protest on August 8 against the state government’s directive to the Foreigners' Tribunal (FT) to withdraw cases pending in Tribunals against illegal Hindu Bangladesh immigrants.

The students’ union will burn copies of the government’s directive across all district headquarters on Friday.

AASU President Utpal Sarma said, “This is a betrayal of the people of Assam. The government cannot selectively protect illegal immigrants based on religion. There must be no religious affiliation in determining illegality.”


Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Debabrata Saikia has asked all political parties and civil society groups to resist what he described as the state government’s attempts to “nullify the Assam Accord”.

Referring to government's July-17 directive asking district authorities and Foreigners’ Tribunals to drop cases against six religious communities - Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, and Parsis, Saikia said that it contradicts the cut-off date of March 24, 1971, as stipulated in Assam Accord.

The order from the state government stated, “The DCs and Sr. SPs to take a review of the status of all the Foreigners (Pakistani/ Bangladeshi/ Rohingya). As per the amendments made to the Citizenship Act, the FTs, are, not supposed to pursue cases of foreigners belonging to the six specified communities (Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, Sikh, Parsi and Jain communities) who had entered Assam on or prior to 31.12.2014. It was suggested to stop all such cases., In this regard, the district Commissioner and the Senior SPs should immediately convey a meeting with their respective FT member end also reviews the development periodically and submit the action taken report to this department."

It added, “However, such foreigners should be encouraged and supported for applying for Indian citizenship as per provisions of Citizenship Amendment Act. The Government of Assam had issued clear cut instructions for withdrawal of all cases filed against people belonging to Gorkha and Koch Rajbongshi communities, this should be complied with forthwith.

Assam had witnessed violent protests in 2019 and early 2020 after Parliament passed the CAA, which makes minority communities such as Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan eligible to apply for Indian citizenship. Five people were killed in the protests.

Assam Accord inked after six yearlong foreigners’ movement (1979-1985) provides that foreigners who entered the state after the cut-off date of March 24, 1971, irrespective of their religious affiliation must be deported.