Guwahati: The Congress in Assam would move Supreme Court against the proposed Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 if it comes into implementation, former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said on Monday.
Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had indicated that the Bill has already cleared the Lok Sabha and will be tabled in the Rajya Sabha by December 10.
“The Congress will move Supreme Court because we believe that the Bill is unconstitutional, and against the very spirit of secularism. It is divisive and communal in nature, and violates the very constitutional provision - equality for all. There cannot be division on basis of religion, caste or creed,” said the veteran Congress leader.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has been trying to convince people in Assam on accepting the contentious bill saying that the bill will be tabled after consulting the stakeholders. However, protests have intensified across the state with All Assam Students' Union (AASU) taking out a cycle rally on Monday to protest against the Bill that would grant citizenship to non-Muslim minorities from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
“This agitation is not politically motivated, but it has taken a serious turn. I am happy to see students taking the lead. We don’t have land, jobs for our own people – and the government is opening doors to refugees from neighbouring countries,” said Tarun Gogoi.
“If the government is ignoring the sentiments of the people, it means they are dictators. In democracy, a leader listens to the voices of the people, or tries to convince them. But this government is ignoring the wishes of people despite knowing what they want,” Gogoi said.
State BJP president Ranjit Kumar Das added that providing fundamental rights to the persecuted minorities of the neighbouring countries has been the BJP’s ideological commitment since its inception.
Amit Shah had earlier announced that people have nothing to fear from the bill as the Centre would not dilute the existing laws and regulations, including state laws. He added that the centre is up for protecting cultural, linguistic and other rights of the local people.
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