AAP pushes for caste census in Assam

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday advocated for a castebased census in Assam to safeguard the political and economic rights of the people of the state, while reaffirming its opposition to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

The party also promised to set up “worldclass” educational and healthcare facilities, besides working for the upliftment of various sections of society, including tea garden workers, in its ‘Guarantee

Card’ for the State.

“In order to get a correct understanding of the population and economic condition of the people of Assam, AAP supports a caste census in the State. It will help safeguard their political and economic rights,” the party stated in its election manifesto.

Stating that the BJP had come to power in 2014 by promising to act against illegal immigrants, AAP maintained that the same party had brought the CAA, which “welcomes” infiltrators.

“As a result, Assam’s culture and language will be destroyed and the jobs of the local youth will be snatched away,” the manifesto stated.

The election manifesto was released here by AAP national spokesperson and party MLA from Delhi, Dilip Pandey, in the presence of the State unit chief Bhabesh Choudhury, its northeast coordinator Rajesh Sharma, and Lok Sabha candidates from the State.

Alleging that the BJPled Centre had “failed to keep its promises” made to the people, AAP questioned why the party had not fielded its incumbent MPs from the Dibrugarh and Sonitpur seats.

The BJP has named Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal as the Dibrugarh candidate, replacing another Union Minister, Rameswar Teli. Former State Minister Ranjit Dutta was made the candidate for Sonitpur in place of incumbent MP Pallab Lochan Das.

AAP is contesting these two seats in the State, and has named Manoj Dhanowar for Dibrugarh and Rishiraj Kauntilya for Sonitpur.