The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) on Monday pledged to help the children of the employees of the defunct Nagaon Paper Mill to pursue their studies in a purported move to embarrass the BJP-led government which is supporting the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

The AASU made announcement during a massive rally, Bojro Gorjon (thundering roar), organised by the organisation at Morigaon, the district headquarters, about 21km from Jagiroad where the mill is located, as a part of its statewide protests against CAA.

Among those who attended the rally were popular Assamese film actress Barsha Rani Bishaya. “It’s a tsunami of the revolutionary spirit of the people of the state and it will uproot CAA,” she said.

Nagaon paper mill has been lying defunct since March 2017 and the employees have not received their salaries for the past 33 months. The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) had ordered liquidation of the mill and the employees to vacate their official quarters by January 31. The mill workers hold the government responsible for their plight. The state government had assured the employees last week that no one would have to vacate the quarters till a solution was found but the mill workers did not buy it.

A few days back, the mill workers had criticised the state government for holding peace rallies to counter the widespread protest against its pro-CAA stand. The workers alleged that the government was getting ready to welcome “foreigners” by kicking them out of their homes. “Where will we go? We don’t have money. Our children have exams. What will they do?” one of them had asked.

Addressing the gathering, AASU chief adviser Samujjal Bhattacharjya criticised the state government for failing to revive the paper mill. “I am sure the employees of the mill are struggling to pay for their children’s education because they have not received their salaries and dues. Today, AASU promises to help in their education with the help of the public,” he said.

Hailing the massive global participation of women in anti-CAA protests, he said, “History has shown that whenever women come forward to bring change, it becomes a revolution and we are sure that this movement will also succeed.”

AASU general secretary Lurinjyoti Gogoi said, “Those who have betrayed the people of the state are now scared of public anger. We want all the people of the state to roar in such a way that both Delhi and Dispur get shaken.” It has lined up a series of protests in the coming year. It has appealed to the people to light a diya (lamp) on New Year’s Day in memory of those who died during the anti-CAA movement in the state.