The Guwahati Police have issued a legal notice to the organisations in Assam that have called for a hartal to protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). The notice warns of legal action under the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act if any damage occurs during the strike.
The 16-party United Opposition Forum, Assam, announced a statewide hartal, along with other agitational programs, to protest against the controversial CAA.
"Any damage to public/ private property including Railway and National Highway properties or injury to any citizen caused due to 'Sarbatmak Hartal', legal action under appropriate provisions of law including Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984 will be initiated against you and the total cost of damage to public and private properties will be recovered from you and your Organisation," the notice said.
The announcement of the hartal comes after the Centre declared the implementation of the CAA 2019 on Monday evening, which grants citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. This move has triggered protests across Assam, with opposition parties criticising the BJP government at the Centre.
Assam had witnessed violent protests against the CAA in December 2019, resulting in casualties. Indigenous groups in Assam fear that the implementation of the CAA will lead to an influx of illegal immigrants, particularly from Bangladesh.
The All Assam Students' Union (AASU) and 30 indigenous non-political organisations held demonstrations in various parts of the state, including Guwahati, Kamrup, Barpeta, Lakhimpur, Nalbari, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, and Tezpur, where they burned copies of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and organised protest rallies.
“We won’t accept the CAA in any manner and the peaceful, non-violent and democratic protests against this legislation which is harmful for the people of Assam will continue and intensify in coming days,” AASU chief adviser Samujjal Bhattacharya said.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has warned against calling for bandhs that violate court orders, threatening to cancel the registration of political parties involved in such actions.
Despite opposition and protests, the BJP-led government has proceeded with the implementation of the CAA, sparking renewed unrest and discontent among various segments of society in Assam.
Debabrata Saikia, Leader of the Congress Legislature Party, said that Assam can't take on the burden of foreigners anymore.
"We were demanding that the CAA not be implemented in Assam. The Assam Accord has given a safeguard to the Assamese people and it says that those people from other countries who entered Assam or India up to March 24, 1971, will be Indian citizens and they can stay in Assam. However, the new Citizenship Amendment Act will now allow anyone coming to Assam or India up to December 31, 2014, to become an Indian citizen, stay in Assam, buy land, and property and enjoy all facilities," Saikia said.