The Congress will build a memorial in Assam to “commemorate the martyrdom” of anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protesters who “sacrificed” their lives to save “Assamese pride” if it wins the upcoming Assembly polls.
Five protesters had died at the peak of anti-CAA protests in Assam in December 2019.
This is the second time in a week that the Opposition party has flagged the CAA issue, making the contentious law the cornerstone of its campaign to regain the state in the April-May polls.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi had in his first poll rally in Assam on Sunday said the party will not allow the imposition of the law under any circumstances and will “not move an inch” on the 1985 Assam Accord which “protects” the Assamese people.
“I have worn this gamosa (Assamese scarf) with CAA written on it and over which we have put a cross. We have all worn it. This means, whatever happens, the CAA will not happen. Hum do (obliquely referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah), hamare do (alluding to Adani and Ambani), acchi tarah se sun lo (listen carefully), (CAA) nahi hoga, kabhi nahi hoga (CAA won’t happen ever),” Rahul said at the rally in Sivasagar in presence of senior party leaders all of whom had worn the gamosa.
On Tuesday, senior state leaders declared the party’s plan to build a memorial against the “anti-Assam” law which makes it easier for non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan to acquire Indian citizenship if they have entered the country till December 2014. According to the 1985 Assam Accord, the cut-off date for detection and deportation of illegal foreigners is March 24, 1971.
The CAA was notified by the Centre in January 2020 but is yet to be implemented. Shah had last week said that it will be implemented after the Covid-19 vaccination drive gets over. “The reason why the Congress has announced that it will make a memorial for the anti-CAA struggle is to make sure future generations remember how the people stood up to the autocratic rule of BJP and its imposition of an anti-Assamese law,” said Abdul Khaleque, chairman of the Congress media and communications committee.
Nagaon MP Pradyut Bordoloi, who is the chairman of the Congress campaign committee, said: “After winning the election, we shall make a memorial for the anti-CAA people’s movement that has been ongoing in Assam over the past few years. The memorial shall remember the people’s struggle and sacrifices, protest songs and paintings.”
Assam PCC president Ripun Bora also reiterated that Guwahati will see a new landmark: a grand memorial in memory of the anti-CAA movement to be built by the incoming Congress government. “This will be the state’s message to the ruling BJP. No CAA in Assam,” Bora said.
Congress Legislature Party leader Debabrata Saikia, MPs Gaurav Gogoi and Khaleque and senior MLA Rakibul Hussain too reiterated the party line. “The dark days of BJP’s oppression of Assamese people are about to get over. The Congress is winning Assam and will make a memorial to the historic people’s struggle against CAA,” Saikia said.
The Congress leaders are campaigning hard against the “draconian CAA” while touring the state as part of their “Axom Basaon Ahok (Come, Save Assam)” Yatra. The state leadership is interacting and taking feedback from all sections of society on the CAA, unemployment and other pressing issues plaguing Assam.
While the Congress has stepped up its ante on the CAA, senior Assam cabinet minister Himanta Biswa Sarma feels the people of the state are today more “concerned” about livelihood and developmental issues as they recover from Covid-19 and that they are looking for more a “positive” message from the political parties.
The ruling BJP has launched scores of development and welfare schemes in the run-up to the polls, trying to fan a “feel good” factor among the populace.
The state BJP said on Tuesday that it was building its poll plank around a “secure and developed Assam”.
