The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) will not only be organising a state-wide bike rally in protest against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act on March 20 but will also appeal to the masses to vote against the parties which have brought the CAA.

The protest assumes significance because it comes a week ahead of the first phase of the three-phase Assembly polls in Assam, starting March 27, and is mainly targeting the ruling BJP and its ally AGP.

In the polls, the BJP-led alliance is up against the Congress-led 10-party alliance and the Assam Jatiya Parishad-Raijor Dal regional alliance, both of which have made the CAA their key poll plank. The protest against CAA had triggered the formation of both the AJP and Raijor Dal.

AASU president Dipanka Nath said they had to call the protest to generate awareness about the “anti-Assam” law and its long-term ill-effects.

“We will be taking out bike rallies across the state and visiting villages across Assam to apprise the masses about the ramifications of the anti-Assam legislation and also issue an appeal that they should not vote for parties who brought the law or are supporting it. The ruling BJP has made it clear that they will impose the law. We want the law scrapped. Period,” Nath said swearing by the 1985 Assam Accord cut-off date of March 24, 1971 for detection, deletion and deportation of illegal migrants.

The anti-CAA brigade asserts that the law makes it easier for non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who have entered till 2014 to secure Indian citizenship, triggering fear Bangladeshi influx will threaten the culture and identity of Assam’s people. They want that those who have come after March 24, 1971 have to leave, irrespective of religion.

The Lok Sabha had passed the CAB on December 9 while the Rajya Sabha on December 11 despite widespread protest in the state and the northeast, especially Assam where five persons died on December 12 in the government crackdown to contain the protest. Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi, who is contesting the Assembly polls from Sivasagar, was arrested on December 12 and has been in jail till now.

The protest comes amid intense campaigning by all the key players, especially BJP, AGP and the Congress, for the Assembly polls.

The BJP has refrained from commenting specifically on the CAA or the National Register of Citizens and Clause 6 of the Assam Accord that provides for constitutional and administrative safeguards for the indigenous

people of Assam except that it will “continue” protect the interest of Assam and the Assamese people.

BJP’s senior leaders from Amit Shah to Rajnath Singh have instead attacked the Congress’ alliance with the AIUDF on the ground that it will only open the floodgates for illegal Bangladeshis.

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday hit out at the alliance as protectors of infiltrators. “Can you trust (AIUDF chief Badruddin) Ajmal? Ajmal sells perfume but spreads hatred. He openly talks about a Muslim rashtra, who is a protector of ghuspetiyas (infiltrators)… Why did Congress tie up with the protector of ghuspetiyas? Congress and Ajmal? Yeh rishta kya kehlata hain (what is this relationship called)? Only for votes? But we have decided to serve everyone… The Congress has no future... Rahul Gandhi will finish the Congress," Chouhan said.

The Opposition Congress, which has made CAA one of its main poll plank, too is hitting back in equal measure. “Before coming to power, the BJP had promised to protect the jati- mati- bheti (community- land- home) but instead imposed the CAA) on the people of Assam. CAA is posing a threat to the language, culture and identity of the people of Assam. It is giving a red carpet welcome to illegal migrants to settle in Assam. The saffron brigade has failed to implement the Assam Accord in letter and spirit, and also Clause 6, as promised by them,” Bobbeeta Sharma, Chairperson, PCC Media department, said, adding the party will bring a law to nullify the CAA if voted back to power.

Prof. Gourav Vallabh, AICC spokesperson, on Tuesday said that the Congress believes in positive politics and politics of change. “Our promises are not just seasonal, like the ‘Chunaavi Janta Party’. Through a robust roadmap and resolute efforts, Congress party is dedicated to provide 5 lakh government jobs to the youth of Assam and create private employment opportunities for 25 lakh youth,” he said while taking a dig at the BJP which had countered the Congress job guarantee by promising one lakh government jobs by March 2022.