Guwahati, August 8: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday dismissed media reports claiming that the state government had instructed foreigners tribunals to withdraw cases against members of six non-Muslim minority communities covered under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).
Addressing the media, Sarma clarified that no new directive has been issued beyond what is already provided in the CAA. “If any special cabinet decision is taken, I always inform the public, but in this case, there has been no such decision,” he said.
The CM reiterated that the CAA already protects Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, and Parsis who entered India on or before December 31, 2014. “This is the prevailing law, and unless struck down by the Supreme Court, it does not require additional cabinet approval,” he added.
However, Sarma confirmed that tribunal cases against members of the Koch Rajbongshi and Gorkha communities are being withdrawn.
Meanwhile, the All Assam Students Union (AASU) announced statewide protests, accusing the BJP-led government of attempting to undermine the Assam Accord, which fixes March 24, 1971, as the cut-off date for citizenship in the state, regardless of religion.
The CAA fast-tracks citizenship for refugees from Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Pakistan belonging to the six specified minority communities, provided they entered India before the 2014 cut-off and have resided in the country for at least six years.
According to official figures, of the 1.6 lakh individuals declared foreigners in Assam so far, more than 69,500 are Hindus.
