Kin of Assam movement 'martyrs' to return citations

Thirty-one years after their kin died during the Assam movement, they were honoured by the BJP-led government in Assam in 2016. Now, the families of 855 Assam movement 'martyrs' are set to return the 'Maan Patra' (citation) to the government to denounce the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016.

As the protests against the Citizenship Bill is continuing across the state, a forum of the families of those killed during the six-year-long Assam movement has decided to return the citations.

The BJP-led Assam government in 2016 honoured the families of the 855 by giving each family a citation and Rs 5 lakh.

The forum, Sadou Asom Jatiya Swahid Parial Samannayrakhi Parishad, on Thursday decided to return the citation before January 31.

"We thank the All Assam Students Union (Aasu) and all other organisations for registering their protest against the Citizenship Bill so boldly," said Forum President Chandrakanta Talukder on Thursday.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised to deport all the illegal Bangladeshi immigrants from Assam. But now they are welcoming the illegal foreigners through the Citizenship Bill," he said.