Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Tuesday refuted claims of the Opposition, All Assam Students Union (AASU) and other organisations that the state would witness an influx of foreigners after the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) comes into effect.
CM Sarma told reporters, “I assure that not a single person who has not earlier applied for registration in the National Register of Citizens (NRC) is going to apply for citizenship under CAA. If my claim becomes untrue, Himanta Biswa Sarma will be the first person to resign from the CM’s post.”
He argued that Assam will not face any burden of illegal foreigners due to implementation of the CAA.
“As the whole process is online, everybody can see whether my statement is true or not,” CM Sarma said.
The Assam CM also said that the people opposing CAA were actually spreading falsehood.
He said, “People can match the data with my claim. Everything will be up on the designated portal.”
Notably, hours after the Centre notified rules for implementing the CAA, copies of the Bill were set ablaze on Monday by the AASU and 30 indigenous organisations in different parts of the state.
Along with announcing a statewide strike on Tuesday, the 16-party United Opposition Forum, Assam (UOFA) will also hold a series of protests.
The Chief Advisor of AASU, Samujjal Bhattacharya, said that the North East Student Organisation (NESO) will burn copies of the CAA on Tuesday in each of the state capitals in the northeast.
–IANS