Two-time former Chief Minister of Assam, Prafulla Mahanta, who was one of the leaders at the forefront of the 6-years long agitation against foreigners, has said that the Government has no grounds to give citizenship to migrants from Bangladesh as there is no "evidence" of any communal clash in the neighboring country over religion.
Addressing the media at Hotel Ambarish in Ganeshguri, Mahanta lambasted the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, that has been blasted as. Mahanta also said that the Indian Government cannot, under any circumstance, determine who is "persecuted". He further claimed that the leaders living in Dispur cannot determine who has been persecuted on religious grounds in Bangladesh and other countries where the citizens
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Mahanta also took potshots at the ruling BJP leaders for claiming that Assamese protesters of the Act are "Pakistanis". "The people of Assam protesting the Act in UP were called Pakistanis. However, they are indigenous sons of the soil", said Mahanta. "They (Government) have also been chided by the UN; If they are still not embarrassed, I do not know what to say."
In regards to the CAA, Mahanta said that he would have approached the Supreme Court if other organizations had not done so earlier. "Why should the party approach? What is the basis for that? All the organizations which have filed petitions against the CAA, we will support them."
Mahanta also reasoned that there is no need to give refuge to migrants from Bangladesh, as the Government has rejected out rightly the Government's accusations of persecuting non-Muslims. He said, "Bangladesh has claimed that there are no communal clashes there. The Bangladesh Foreign Minister even cancelled his visit to India. Bangladesh has also cited the number of pujas that are being held there; they have also said which Ministers went to which pujas. Staying in Guwahati, there is no basis to speak what is current going over there."
Recalling the struggle of the Assamese people to assert Assamese as the official language in the State, Mahanta said that not too long ago, the British had imposed Bengali as the official language and opined that history could repeat itself.
Mahanta further stated that there is reason to believe that the CAA is not "constitutional." The former CM also said that
Weighing in on the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Assam, calls for which have been made by several indigenous organizations, the former Chief Minister also said that he does not support the extension of the regime to his native State.
It may be mentioned here that Mahanta, who represents the old brigade of his party, is currently at loggerheads with the party's newer brigade led by its current President and Assam Minister
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