Himanta hails Citizenship Bill, Assam Accord, ST status decisions of Centre

Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said the three steps of the Centre -- the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, implementing Clause 6 of the Assam Accord and giving ST status to six communities -- would make the state a "fort" for the indigenous people. Alleging that those protesting against the Citizenship Bill were trying to divide the community, he likened the Centre's efforts for the legislation of the bill to a "battle for respect" (for the indigenous people).

"The protests against the Citizenship Bill are an attempt to trigger a fight against the believers of Indian culture and heritage... The three steps of the Citizenship Bill, Clause-6 and ST status will make Assam a fort for the indigenous people," the senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said. "If the three decisions of the Centre are implemented, then Durga Puja and 'Bhagwad Path' (public reading of the Bhagwad Gita) will continue to take place at Sarbhog and Barpeta, which are demographically sensitive areas, for the next 10 years," he told a BJP workers' rally here.

Sarma, who had stoked a controversy earlier this month with his "Jinnah's legacy" remark and by saying that Hindus would become a minority in Assam in five years, reiterated that the Hindu population in the state would dwindle to 51-52 per cent by 2021 from 61 per cent now if the Citizenship Bill was not implemented. "In the Assam Assembly, 37 seats have gone. If this bill does not come, more seats will go," he claimed.

Continuing to speak in support of the bill, the finance minister said, "By 2021, (AIDUF chief) Badruddin Ajmal will decide whether Assam will become Kashmir or not. Then it will be decided by (his brother and Barpeta MP) Sirajuddin Ajmal. "The situation is such that I am being threatened on my mobile phone. I get messages, saying come to our place, we will see you... I am the number two minister in Assam. If I am threatened like this, what is left?"

Sarma said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal would always be remembered in Assam if the bill was passed. "Sonowal will become a 'Mahanayak' if he implements these three decisions. Modi cannot commit a sin, he cannot sell India. Sonowal cannot sell Assam," he added.

Hitting out at those opposing the bill, Sarma, who is also the convenor of the North East Democratic Alliance, said, "In Sarbhog (where state BJP chief Ranjit Dass is the MLA), are there no differences between Bengali Hindus and Muslims? If the lamp of (goddess) Durga is allowed to be lit there, it is a big thing. Same is the case in Dhubri (where Muslims form a sizeable chunk of the population) too. "In Bongaigaon, Abhayapuri and other places, is there any difference between Assamese and Bengali Hindus? Today, you (protesters) are saying we do not need Bengali Hindus. Who has given you the right? We lost that right in 14 districts long time ago."

The 14 districts, including those in lower Assam, are Muslim dominated. Sarma said Sonowal was fighting for "Jati-Mati-Bheti" (community, land, homeland) and the BJP wanted that "lamps continue to be lit in the Namghars (prayer houses) and temples across the state".

Stating that he would do "anything" to safeguard Assam and the country, the minister said, "I do not want a certificate from those whose hands are soaked with blood in Kashmir." Without elaborating, he said: "I do not want to do politics after 2021 (when the next Assam Assembly polls are scheduled). There is no question of being in politics after that. I am ready to sacrifice my life for Panipat's last battle. This is Panipat's last battle."

In the Third Battle of Panipat, the last in the historic place, fought in 1761, the invading Afghani forces of Ahmad Shah Abdali had defeated the army of the Maratha empire under Sadashivrao Bhau. Likening those opposing the Citizenship Bill to the Kauravas in the Mahabharata, Sarma said, "The Kauravas have blown the conch shell, so the Pandavas (BJP) have to fight now. I had thought the last battle of Saraighat would start after the NRC work was done, but the Kauravas have already started it."

During the 2016 Assembly polls campaign, the BJP had termed the electoral fight "the last battle of Saraighat" to safeguard Assam from illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. Commenting on the parties opposing the bill, Sarma said, "The AGP has gone into oblivion, while the Congress has lost the zest and courage to fight the BJP."

The Leftists were also opposing the bill, he said, adding that the poor Bengali Hindus, engaged in pulling rickshaws and carts, would not be able to seek citizenship as it involved a lot of official work, from the district to the central levels. Claiming that no political party had read the bill, Sarma said it stated that no one would get a long-term visa after December 31, 2014 and would not get any citizenship after that.

He took a dig at the AASU's Wednesday rally, saying, "Some gave a war cry yesterday.... We (BJP) give the development cry. People voted us for work, we do not have time to shout slogans." Referring to the black flags being shown to BJP leaders by the protesters, Sarma said, "We will show white flags the very next day whenever black flags are shown to us.

"Nobody can stop Prime Minister Modi in 2019 (Lok Sabha polls)." PTI TR KK RC