Taking cognisance of the HSLC examination beginning from Monday in the state, the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), Assam Jatiyatabadi Yuba-Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) and Asam Nagarik Samaj on Sunday said protests against CAA will continue but no meetings or rallies would take place on examination days to maintain a peaceful academic environment.

The three organisations are among those at the forefront of the ongoing anti-CAA movement which has been continuing since December in the state.

They fear that the identity and culture of the state stand threatened if the law is not withdrawn. The law facilitates Indian citizenship to immigrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who have entered the county till December 2014 without valid papers.

Talking to this correspondent, AASU general secretary Lurinjyoti Gogoi said, “We will ensure that the ongoing anti-CAA movement does not hamper the normal academic environment in the state.

We will organize meetings during holidays and on days when there is no examination.”

Making it clear that the examinations will not hamper the anti-CAA movement, Gogoi said, “We will go head in a planned manner. We will organise silent protests and rallies during the examination period besides indoor meetings.”

Nagarik Samaj convener Paresh Malakar said, “We must keep a space for the students to devote in preparation and attending the examination. Nevertheless, since the student community is only a section of the anti-CAA protesters, the other members will carry forward the movement against the divisive law without disturbing the students.”

AJYCP general secretary Palash Changmai stressed that villagers from across the state, irrespective of the plains and hills, are also gradually realising the danger and the impending threat to be posed by the CAA.

“Students are visibly a strength of the anti-CAA movement. However, we have to carry forward the movement taking the strength of the villagers now,” Changmai said.

He, however, made it clear that on the scheduled examination date, no organisation will hold anti-CAA meetings or protests.

“We will not protest in the streets till the exams end. However, during this period, we will organise consultative meetings with different ethnic organisations from across the state to critically analyse the movement and our future course of action,” Changmai said.

He stressed that the anti-CAA movement will be strengthened with the participation of the people from the hill districts of the state.

“Earlier, the hill people were given such an impression that the scheduled areas were exempted from the CAA. However, they have also now realised that it is nothing other than just a political rhetoric. As a result, they are also now standing up and fighting against the CAA,” Changmai added.