The Assam unit of the BJP is confident of winning the hearts of thepeople back though dissidence brews within the party over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Several top BJP leaders have already resigned from the party. Many members of the Asom Gana Parishad, an ally of the ruling BJP, also quit the AGP.
The state BJP, however, believes that assurance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah to secure the indigenous people’s constitutional rights will soon become a reality and people of the state will again support the party.
BJP spokesperson Sayed Mominul Awal said: “The BJP is a democratic party and we respect everyone’s decision. Those who left us did it willingly.
“The party is like the Brahmaputra river and it will continue to flow, come rain or shine. We are sure to win back people’s support soon.”
After President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to the CAA, senior BJP leaders like Jagadish Bhuyan, the chairman of Assam Petrochemicals Ltd, and popular actor Jatin Bora, the chairman of the Assam State Film Finance and Development Corporation, resigned opposing the government’s move.
As per party sources, the two leaders’ move has encouraged many to follow suit.
BJP insiders said the party’s grassroots workers, mostly from the Upper Assam districts, had expressed resentment against CAA. Hundreds of BJP workers from Lakhimpur and Dhemaji have also threatened to quit the party.
Bhuyan said: “As I realised that the revised act is anti-Assamese and will affect the state’s language, culture and history, I decided to quit.” On Friday Bhuyan also joined the hunger strike organised by the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU).
Echoing him, Bora added: “I am Jatin Bora because of the people of Assam. I will never support such an act that my people are opposing.”
Even senior BJP leader Hitendra Nath Goswami, who is also the Speaker, shared his apprehension about the act. Saying that the fear of people was not “baseless”, Goswami said there was a strong possibility that the implementation of the law would create division among different castes, communities and linguistic groups.
“As a person working for the nation and community through the Assam Agitation, I feel that the doubt created by this act is not baseless. I cannot be above the public,” Goswami added. Former Speaker and senior BJP leader Pulakesh Baruah, too, resigned from the party on Friday. BJP legislator Padma Hazarika said he would resign if his voters asked him to do so.
BJP legislator Atul Bora claimed that his residence was attacked by goons on Friday night. The state’s handloom and textiles minister Ranjit Dutta, too, faced the ire of the protesters in Nagaon; they showed him black flags on Saturday.