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Assam student body theatens agitation against immigration act
A powerful students` group in India`s northeastern state of Assam threatened Tuesday to launch a mass agitation in its drive to repeal a law it says encourages the illegal immigration of Bangladeshis in the region.
A powerful students' group in India's northeastern state of Assam threatened Tuesday to launch a mass agitation in its drive to repeal a law it says encourages the illegal immigration of Bangladeshis in the region.
"We will be forced to resort to a vigorous mass movement to protect the rights of the indigenous people of Assam," said Prabin Boro, president of the All Assam Students' Union (AASU), which has an estimated three million supporters.
The AASU wants the government to repeal an act under which the onus of responsibility to prove that someone is an illegal foreigner lies with the authorities rather the accused. The AASU argues that the act is allowing hundreds of illegal Bangladeshi nationals and armed operatives of Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) to enter Assam through the porous land and river borders with Bangladesh.
"The silent invasion by the migrants and the ISI agents has the potential to make the situation in Assam more explosive than Kashmir," said senior AASU official Samujjal Bhattacharyya.
However, Muslims in the state insist that the act is necessary to protect their rights as citizens.
"Muslims would be harassed if the act is repealed," said Muslim community leader Hafiz Rashid Choudhury. "The authorities would catch hold of hundreds of genuine Indian Muslims and deport them without the accused getting a chance to defend themselves," Choudhury added.
Bureau Report
The AASU wants the government to repeal an act under which the onus of responsibility to prove that someone is an illegal foreigner lies with the authorities rather the accused. The AASU argues that the act is allowing hundreds of illegal Bangladeshi nationals and armed operatives of Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) to enter Assam through the porous land and river borders with Bangladesh.
"The silent invasion by the migrants and the ISI agents has the potential to make the situation in Assam more explosive than Kashmir," said senior AASU official Samujjal Bhattacharyya.
However, Muslims in the state insist that the act is necessary to protect their rights as citizens.
"Muslims would be harassed if the act is repealed," said Muslim community leader Hafiz Rashid Choudhury. "The authorities would catch hold of hundreds of genuine Indian Muslims and deport them without the accused getting a chance to defend themselves," Choudhury added.
Bureau Report