Naxals are using intimidation tactics on Citizenship bill, says Assam minister

Reiterating his support for the Citizenship Bill, Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma Thursday said "Naxals" and "Left" are using intimidation while opposing the Bill. "Well aware that Naxals/Left use character assassin & intimidation as tactics. It won't alter my views that #Assam must accept #CitizenshipAmendmentBill," Sarma tweeted. "They want us to be slaves of a particular civilization. However in this civilizational fight we must win. Assam & India must win," the senior BJP leader said. Sarma had on January 6 stoked a controversy by saying that Assam will surrender to the "philosophy of Jinnah" and 17 Assembly seats "that elect Assamese people will go Jinnah way" if the Citizenship Bill is not passed.

A day later, he told PTI that Hindus in the state will become minority within five years if the Bill is not passed and "that will be advantageous to those elements who want Assam to be another Kashmir". The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, which was passed by the Lok Sabha on January 8, seeks to provide Indian citizenship to Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan after six years of residence in India even if they do not possess any document. Massive protests were held across the state and other parts of the Northeast over the Bill.