The Assam Congress on Sunday said the Union home ministry’s January 10 Gazette notification bringing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019 into force from that day itself reflected how the Centre did not respect the judiciary as well as the sentiments of the people of Assam.
Assam PCC president Ripun Bora told reporters here that if the Congress came to power in 2021 it would pressure the Centre to revoke the citizenship of those who would be granted it through CAA.
Amid countrywide protests against CAA, the Union home ministry on Friday issued a Gazette notification stating that CAA had come into force in the country from Friday itself. Various anti-CAA organisations in Assam have reacted angrily to the development.
Through the Act, persecuted non-Muslim communities from three neighbouring Islamic countries will get citizenship if they entered India before December 31, 2014, even without any document.
“The gazette notification has proved that the BJP does not respect the judiciary. Over 60 petitions have been filed with the Supreme Court on the issue. The court has fixed January 22 as the next date of hearing. Despite that, the Centre issued the notification. We condemn it,” said Bora.
“It also reflects how the BJP does not respect the sentiments of the people of Assam who have been protesting everyday against the Act. If we come to power in 2021 we will pressure the Centre to revoke citizenship of those who will be getting citizenship through CAA,” Bora said.
Bora said the Congress would continue its protest till the CAA is scrapped.
He said the government is taking repressive measures against Congress members and workers joining the anti-CAA protests. The Congress will, however, not be deterred by any repressive measures, Bora added.
The first phase of the padayatra launched by the Congress on December 22, spreading message against CAA, ended in Dhubri on Saturday after covering 14 districts of the state.
The second phase will begin on January 20 at Sarupathar in Golaghat district and conclude on January 29 at Gohpur in Biswanath district. The third phase will continue from February 13 to 21. Bora said there would be two more phases of the padayatra, which will cover the hill districts and Barak Valley and their dates have not been finalised yet.
