The Assam Association of North America (AANA) said the Citizenship (Amendment) Act would adversely impact the people of Assam and the Northeast.

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the association urged that the 1985 Assam Accord be implemented in its entirety, with the cut-off date of March 24, 1971 and where it should prevail over the Act in case of any conflict.

“The recent passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, causes us concern that it will adversely impact the people of Assam and the Northeast,” said the association in its letter, dated December 14.

“We see this Act as a threat to the integrity and unabridged continuity of language, culture, demographics and economic well being of the indigenous population of Assam and the Northeast,” it stated.

The association also requested the Prime Minister to update the Assam NRC released on August 31, with corrections, necessary to enable full and complete implementation of the Assam Accord.

“While granting citizenship and settling refugees, take necessary steps to protect and preserve the cultural, social and linguistic identity of the indigenous people of Assam,” the letter said.

Earlier, the Assamese community in London also had staged a demonstration to protest against the amended Citizenship Act outside the Indian high commission.