Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma Discusses Citizenship Amendment Act Applications
On Monday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma shared that eight people have applied for citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in Assam, but only two have attended interviews. Speaking at a press conference at the Lok Sewa Bhawan in Guwahati, he said, “So far, eight people in Assam have applied under CAA prior to 1971, and only two have appeared for the interview.”
He explained that anyone who came to India before 2015 has the first right to apply for citizenship. If they do not apply, legal action will be taken against them. “Anyone who came to India before 2015 has the first right to apply for citizenship under the CAA. If they don’t apply, we will lodge a case against them. This is a statutory instruction. We will deport those who came after 2015,” Sarma stated.
Regarding applicants with ‘Foreigners Tribunals’ cases registered against them in Assam, Sarma mentioned that if the cases were before 2015, they would be given a chance to apply for citizenship under CAA. He also urged Hindu Bengalis in Assam to apply, but they preferred to fight their cases instead. “If the cases are from before 2015, they have a chance to apply. If they don’t apply, proceedings will continue. We also requested the Hindu Bengalis in Assam to apply, but they said that they are Indian and would like to continue the proceedings rather than apply,” he said.
On July 5, Partha Pratim Majumdar, Secretary to the Government of Assam Home and Political Department, sent a letter to the Special Director General of Police (Border) of Assam’s Srimantapur. The letter restricted forwarding cases of persons from Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Parsi, Jain, and Christian communities who entered India before December 31, 2014, directly to the Foreigners Tribunals. “In view of the above provision of law, the border police may not forward cases of persons belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Parsi, Jain, and Christian communities who entered India prior to December 31, 2014, directly to the Foreigners Tribunals… A separate register may be maintained for this category of persons,” the letter read.
However, the letter clarified that there would be no differential treatment for anyone who entered Assam from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, or Pakistan after December 31, 2014, regardless of their religion. They would be sent directly to the Foreigners Tribunal for further action. “This differential treatment will not be available to persons who entered Assam from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, or Pakistan after December 31, 2014, irrespective of their religion. Once detected, they should be immediately forwarded to the jurisdictional Foreigners Tribunal for further action,” the letter stated.
