Assam Minister Pijush Hazarika on Thursday alleged that the protest against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) has started ahead of direct recruitment examination and it is an attempt to hold back these applicants.

Addressing a press conference in Dispur, Pijush Hazarika said, “Everyone is subjected to have their own opinions and work upon it. We have our viewpoint and all those against CAA have their own opinion. We do not disrespect others’ opinion, however, I urge them to not hold back these Assamese people by spreading fake news.”

He further added few examples from the day when the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) was passed as an Act in 2019, saying that fake news was circulating over the internet.

“A fake news was spread over WhatsApp on that day (10 December, 2019) saying 2.5 crore Hindu Bangladeshis will enter Assam on the same day the bill was passed as an act. And these people will travel to Upper Assam via truck and will capture the properties. But nothing of that sort happened on the particular day or later,” he said.

He claimed that the CAA does not specify that crores of Hindu Bangladeshis will enter Assam. This is fake news that is being spread.

Hazarika further urged people not to try to hamper Assam or Assamese people by spreading such fake news.

The direct recruitment examinations will be held on August 21, 28 and September 11. The recruitment exam will be for nearly 30,000 posts of grade III and IV that will commence in 25 districts of Assam. About 14 lakh candidates are expected to appear in the exams.