Congress Leader Rupjyoti Kurmi Vows to Oppose Citizenship (Amendment) Bill

Thursday, October 10, 2019:

Congress MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi on Thursday vowed to stand opposed to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, that is being proposed by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government. Speaking along the lines of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, he stated that the Bill is opposed to the ethos of Assam as the Assamese society has never discriminated on the basis of religion up until now.

Also Read: Assam and Tripura to Suffer Most Due to Citizenship Bill: KMSS Chief Akhil Gogoi

"The Assam Accord was the result of sacrifice of 855 martyrs, and thus, we feel that the date set down by the Accord, 24 March 1971, should be taken as the cut-off date for citizenship," said Kurmi. Kurmi further says that 1971 will be taken as the official year from the Congress as the Accord was signed under the watchful eye of then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Kurmi further alleged that the BJP party is using the as a dustbin, and people are joining due to lure of money. The Congress' stand is the same as that of the Assam Accord, which was signed under Rajiv Gandhi.

The MLA further contended the people who will be provided with citizenship under the new Bill will not get any rights, apart from voting rights, neither they will get respect.

The Constitution of India, penned by BR Ambedkar, is secular. But the values are no longer being followed. The secularism propounded by the forefathers of the nation is under threat.

"There are people in Rajasthan and Gujarat who are actual victims of communal violence, and they need to be given citizenship, but we will not allow the Government to use Assam and the Northeast as dustbins. 24 March, 1971, will be the date that we are accepting as the cut-off date for citizenship", he said.

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