Modi has failed the people of Assam by enacting Citizenship Act: Congress

The Assam Congress on Friday

alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has failed the people of the state by enacting the Citizenship Amendment Act.

BJP's Vision Document 2016-2025 had promised to follow in letter and spirit the Assam Accord with March 25, 1971 as the cut off date to distinguish between illegal migrants and citizens of the state, Assam Congress President Ripun Bora said at a press conference here.

"The Accord made it clear that those who came to the state after 1971 will be considered illegal migrants but by enacting the CAA, BJP has allowed Bangladeshis to come to India till December 31, 2014 (the cut off date). It has given the Bangladehis a red carpet welcome," he said.

 

"How is BJP going to fulfill the Assam Accord in letter and spirit?" Bora questioned.

The prime minister had also declared that all illegal Bangladeshis in Assam will have to leave bag and baggage from Assam after May 16, 2014, he recallled.

The BJP had claimed that there are around 50 lakh Bangladeshis in Assam and according to Home Ministry records, only 308 illegal migrants in 2016, 51 in 2017 and only 50 illegal Bangladeshis in 2018-19 were ousted from India, the Congress leader said.

"Now will the PM ask forgiveness from the people of Assam for this monumental failure of his government?" Bora asked.

The high powered committee on Clause 6 of Assam Accord had submitted a report to Chief Minister Sarbanada Sonowal on February 25, 2020 but not a single word has been uttered by the Modi government on it, he said.

As per Clause 6 appropriate constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards shall be provided to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people.

Bora further said that the prime minister could not grant scheduled tribe status to six communities of Assam despite making promises at every meeting and BJP rally.

Referring to the withdrawal of special category status, which Assam enjoyed since 1969, by the Modi government, he said

the people of Assam wants to know the reason.

"The withdrawal of the special category status by the BJP government has led to a loss of around Rs 8400 crore every year, depriving the state of huge funds for development and compelling the state government to take loans which made it debt ridden," Bora said.

Keeping up his attack, the Congress state president said Modi had assured two crore jobs for the unemployed every year. "The people of Assam want to know, how many jobs did the youths of Assam get".

Bora said when the prime minister had come to Assam on January 23, the Congress had asked him questions about his unfulfilled promises but he had not answered them.

"We are asking him some more questions about issues that the BJP has failed to fulfill and the injustices done to the people of the state. The time has come now to give a reply", he added.

The BJP governmrnt has announced Rs 1000 crore for the tea garden workers of Assam and West Bengal. "But what happened to the promise of minimum wage of Rs 351.33 to them?" Bora asked.

Congress workers, he said, will hold protests outside the offices of all assistant labour commissioners in the district headquarters on February 9 and submit a memorandum demanding RS 351 minimum wage fOR tea garden workers.

They will also hold protests on Saturday in front of all petrol pumps across the state for three hours in protest against the rising prices of petrol, diesel and LPG, he added.