CAA attack on Assam's culture, won't allow implementation, says Rahul Gandhi

Credit: Twitter

Guwahati: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday (March 30) called the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) passed by the Centre an attack on Assam's culture.

Gandhi, who was supposed to campaign in Assam on Tuesday, could not reach there due to bad weather. Following this, he released a video message appealing people to vote for the Congress party in the polls.

He said that the Congress-led alliance would fulfil the five guarantees it has given to the people of the state.

"The first guarantee is we will not allow CAA to be implemented. It is an attack on Assam, your language, history, your tradition and culture," Gandhi said.

"The other four guarantees are five lakh government jobs in five years, increasing the daily minimum wage of tea garden workers to Rs 365, 200 units of free electricity per month for all, and Rs 2,000 per month for every homemaker," he added.

Gandhi alleged that the hill tribespeople are under attack from the BJP as it seeks to scrap Article 244A of the Constitution.

Article 244A deals with the formation of an autonomous state comprising certain tribal areas in Assam. It also deals with creation of local legislature or council of ministers or both.

The Congress leader was scheduled to address a poll rally each at Haflong in Dima Hasao hill district and Bokajan in Karbi Anglong hill district, besides an interactive session with women at Silchar.

"Due to bad weather, I was unable to reach you today. But my and the Grand Alliances message is clear - we will take Assam to the path of progress and prosperity with the five guarantees," Gandhi said in a tweet.

Earlier in the day, Gandhi tweeted that the people of Assam have understood that there is no relation between 'jumlas' (rhetoric) and development.

He also asked the Centre to explain what it had done for the upliftment of labourers, including tea garden workers, in the state.

Campaigning for the second phase of Assam assembly elections ended on Tuesday. Voting will take place on April 1.