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Opposition parties in Assam have voiced strong opposition to the central government's plans to implement the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). Union MoS for Home, Ajay Mishra, recently announced that the final draft of the legislation is expected to be ready by March. Opposition leaders emphasized their stance against what they consider an "unconstitutional" law, conflicting with the Assam Accord of 1985, as reported by PTI.
Mishra, addressing the Matua community in West Bengal, stated that the CAA process is gaining momentum, reassuring the Matuas of their citizenship rights. In response, Congress MP Abdul Khaleque urged the Centre to pressure Bangladesh to safeguard Hindus, discouraging their migration due to religious persecution.
Khaleque accused the BJP government of attempting to relocate Hindus under the pretext of religious persecution, alleging a targeted closure of the Dhakeswari temple in Bangladesh through the CAA. The leader of the opposition in the Assam assembly, Debabrata Saikia, emphasized the Congress's resistance to the CAA, citing its contradiction with the Assam Accord's provisions.
Assam Jaitya Parishad (AJP) chief Lurinjyoti Gogoi expressed the people's intolerance towards an "unconstitutional" law like the CAA, emphasizing its contradiction with the secular essence of the country. Gogoi urged the Prime Minister to focus on rehabilitating Hindus in his home state of Gujarat rather than burdening Assam with additional foreigners.
In contrast, BJP legislator Jitu Goswami defended the party's commitment to its promises, citing examples such as the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Ayushman Bharat scheme, and the CAA. The CAA, passed in December 2019, aims to grant Indian citizenship to certain religious minorities from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, who entered India on or before December 31, 2014.
