INDIA VOTES 2024: CAA not poll issue in Assam

Shubhadeep Choudhury

New Delhi, April 12

Much to the detriment of the Congress and other political parties opposed to the BJP, the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, has failed to emerge as an election issue in Assam where three-phase elections will take place with polling for five of the state’s total 14 constituencies slated to be held in the first phase on April 19.

Just 1 application under Act so far

• There was widespread apprehension and protests in Assamese-speaking areas of the state when the CAA Bill was passed by Parliament in 2019
• Opposition parties geared up to corner the ruling BJP by exploiting the Assamese fear of getting outnumbered by Bengali speakers due to the CAA
• CM Himanta Biswa Sarma’s revelation earlier this week that only one application for granting citizenship under the CAA has been received in Assam might have helped in allaying people’s fears

There was widespread apprehension and protests in Assamese-speaking areas of Assam when the CAA Bill was passed by Parliament in 2019. Opposition parties geared up to corner the state’s ruling BJP by exploiting the Assamese fear of getting outnumbered by Bengali speakers when the rules of CAA were notified last year after a long delay.

Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi, who is also party candidate from Jorhat, said the Act was a “burning issue” in the state that tampered with the Assam Accord.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s revelation earlier this week that only one application for granting citizenship under the CAA had been received in Assam till date might have helped in allaying the fears about the impact of the CAA on the Assamese speakers.

The lone application was made in Barak Valley, Sarma said and added, “The anti-CAA movement was based on lies and they (who were at the forefront) will have to answer now. So many days have passed, and only one application has been made in the state till date.”

The names of 19 lakh people, an overwhelming number of whom are Bengali speakers, were left out from the National Register of Citizens (NRC) when it was updated in Assam in 2019. Those not finding a place in the NRC are considered doubtful citizens and those among them belonging to communities who are religious minority in neighbouring countries were expected to take advantage of the CAA and apply for Indian citizenship.

Sabyasachi Roy, who teaches in a college in south Assam and has also written a couple of books on the citizenship issue of Assam, said people left out of the NRC might not be interested in seeking protection under the CAA since they had always maintained that they were Indian citizens.

Moreover, the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India (RGCCI) is yet to notify the NRC. Those not featuring in the NRC despite applying for inclusion are supposed to get a “rejection slip” stating the reason for their exclusion from the NRC. There will be a question mark on the NRC itself till these formalities are completed.