An conglomerate of organisations formed to oppose the Citizenship (Amendment) Act on Tuesday appealed to the people of Assam to remain united to take forward the ongoing anti-CAA movement by thwarting the "attempts to divide them and by rejecting the politics of sops".
Contesting the government's assertion that the new law is to safeguard the ethnic and Assamese-speaking people of the state, the Nagarikatta Sangshudhani Ain Birudhi Samannai Samity president and eminent litterateur Dr Hiren Gohain claimed that the legislation is committed more towards national and foreign business interests.
"Law is being broken to make Bangladeshi Hindus citizens in Assam," Gohain, a Sahitya Akademi awardee, told a press conference here.
"It has become necessary to carry on this ongoing anti-CAA movement against the Centre and the state government so that the law is withdrawn. We appeal to the people to remain united, strengthen relations between the plains and hills people, and reject the politics of sops", Gohain said.
He was referring to the Assam government's move to provide funds to various organisations and provide land pattas to landless indigenous people, as anti-CAA protests rocked the state since early last month.
Condemning the violence at the Jawaharlal Nehru University on Sunday, the former Gauhati University professor said, "The police is for maintaining law and order. But they remained partisan and inactive in JNU when students were attacked inside the university campus and hostel rooms. It is dangerous for democracy."
Claiming that independence of the media was being infringed upon, Gohain said, "Some of the honest outspoken journalists outside the state have been forced to move away. It is beginning to happen in Assam."
Stating that the Samity will observe January 26 as Constitution Protection Day, he urged the people to burn a copy of the CAA during the upcoming Bhogali Bihu festival.
The Samity's convenor Deben Tamuli demanded that the government suitably compensate the families of the five killed in police firing during the anti-CAA protests, institute enquiries into their deaths, release arrested KMSS leader Akhil Gogoi and others, besides halting "government attack on media independence and freedom of speech".
The Samity consists of the CPI, CPI-M, NCP, SFI, All India Students Association, he said adding that its doors are open for the All Assam Students Union (AASU) and Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) who in the forefront of the anti-CAA protests.
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