Citizenship bill backlash puts Assam BJP in a spot

GUWAHATI/GOHPUR: The Narendra Modi government’s Citizenship Amendment Bill has caused confusion within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Assam, leaving the party’s rank and file wondering what lies ahead and how they can defuse a potentially damaging backlash against the bill.

Chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal has called a meeting with select office-bearers on Thursday to discuss these issues. The bill, which seeks to grant citizenship to non-Muslim settlers from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, has set off an upheaval among native Assamese, who have long resented waves of migrations from Bangladesh. Asked how the BJP will handle the conundrum, Tafiqure Rahman, one of the BJP’s eight vice-presidents in the state, said: “Everybody is confused here. I am telling you the truth.”“Of course, it (the bill) is a challenge. It will harm the culture of Assam; it will harm the language of Assam,” he added. “They (central leadership) will decide everything. The state government is following their order. I am also bound to follow them.” Rahman said, clarifying that he was not speaking to HT in his official but personal capacity. Two major moves are afoot to offset possible dents in the BJP’s support base, but both are mired in controversy.

One, the NDA government has moved a separate bill to amend the Constitution (Schedule Tribes) Order 1950 to grant Schedule Tribes (ST) status to six communities that are scattered across the state.