Following the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi, thousands of residents of Beesakopie village in Tinsukia district observed a daylong fast to protest the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) on Friday.
“Mahatma Gandhi observed 17 fasts during India’s freedom movement. His longest fasts lasted 21 days. Fasting was a weapon that Gandhiji used as part of his philosophy of ahimsa (non-violence) as well as Satyagraha. On the 72nd death anniversary of Gandhiji on Thursday, we gathered at the village field to pay homage to Bapu and take a resolution to observe the fast,” said Abhishek Tanti, a teacher.
“The Act will cause adverse impact on the indigenous people, language and culture. Slowly people will start losing their own land, language, culture, traditions, customs and conventions. The state will turn into a haven for illegal migrants. We should continue our protests in a democratic and peaceful manner until the government withdraws the Act,” Tanti added.
Besides defining the Act as “anti-Assamese” and “unconstitutional”, the protesters said CAA “would bring a dark future to the state’s future generations.
Beesakopie village has nearly 1,500 residents with varied caste and religious backgrounds. Barring children and the elderly, almost all villagers observed the fast from dawn to dusk. The locals have been taking part in almost all protests since the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was introduced in Parliament. Later in the evening, the villagers organised a community feast to break their fast and took an oath to continue their agitation peacefully until the law is repealed.
“Gopal Gandhi, a teacher and a resident of the village, had set up the Gandhi Ashram here. He was a true Gandhian and used to teach us the ideals of Mahatma. We protest against the CAA or anything that is harmful for a civilised society in Gandhian way,” said Robin Lakra, secretary of the Catholic Youth Committee.
Recently, residents of 85 villages of Naharkatia in Upper Assam’s Dibrugarh district donated 45,000kg paddy and Rs 80,000 to the All Assam Students’ Union to help it fund its legal battle against the Act.
“These villagers want to protect the identity and future of Assam. I am touched by their support,” AASU general secretary Lurinjyoti Gogoi said.
