The Sadou Asom Goria Moria Deshi Jatiya Parishad, an organisation representing indigenous Assamese Muslims, on Saturday said constitutional safeguards should be provided to people living in the state before the British rule and not on the basis of some year or date.

“If 1951 is regarded as the cut-off year to provide constitutional safeguards, will those who had migrated to Assam and got their names included in the 1951 NRC be protected?” asked Parishad president Hafijul Ahmed.

“The Bhatiali, Mymensinga, Dhakai, Sylheti, Pabnaya and Boguraya of Bangladesh will be able to get constitutional safeguards if 1951 is selected as the cut-off date. This will go against the spirit of Assam Agitation, which was against illegal immigration from Bangladesh,” he added.

“People representing indigenous tribes changed their religion to form these communities. We are often regarded as Bangladeshi migrants for our religious views. By setting 1951 as the cut-off date, the identity of these communities, relevant since Ahom era, will be under threat,” Ahmed said.