The All Assam Students'Union (AASU) on Tuesday evening reiterated its stand on the contentiousCitizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) and said that it would not accept the bill inany form. The remarks came after the AASU leaders along with otherorganisations of the State met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday eveningto discuss the bill.
AASU chief adviser Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharya said, "Assam, as well as other Northeastern State, cannot accept the CAB," adding, "We will not tolerate anything that could nullify the historic Assam Accord."
The AASU leaders includingBhattacharya, president Dipanka KumarNath and general secretary Lurinjyoti Gogoi threatened the Centre not tonegotiate the Clause-VI of Assam Accord. "People of Assam will never accept theCAB and the AASU is firm in its opposition," said AASU president Dipanka Nath.
"We can't let BJP dowhatever they want just because they have the numbers in the Parliament. If thebill becomes an act, the definition of immigrants will be changed and it willdirectly affect the demography of Assam as well as Northeast," said Bhattacharya.
It may be mentioned herethat the bill is aimed at making minority communities such as Hindus, Sikhs,Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh andPakistan eligible for applying for Indian citizenship.