The All Assam Students’ Union (Aasu) has announced a series of protests in Guwahati against illegal immigration from Bangladesh, sparked by controversial remarks made by Syeda Hameed. Aasu plans to hold an 11-hour hunger strike on September 4, followed by district-wide protests on September 16, human chains on September 20, and torch rallies on September 23. The protests aim to demand the expulsion of illegal immigrants and the full implementation of the 1985 Assam Accord.
Aasu’s chief advisor, Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharya, has called for sealing the 268 km Indo-Bangladesh border in Assam and has advocated for a shoot-at-sight order for infiltrators. The organization is also seeking reverification of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and exemption from the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). Bhattacharya emphasized the urgent need for the state to enforce all provisions of the Assam Accord, stating that the government should have sealed the border within the 40 years following the Accord’s signing, and those in power in New Delhi and Dispur should be held accountable for their inaction.
On the NRC, Aasu insists that it must be updated correctly to genuinely filter Indian citizens. Bhattacharya further stated that Assam should remain exempt from the CAA as it poses risks to indigenous communities. He highlighted the necessity of constitutional safeguards for these communities, advocating for the recommendations made by the Justice (Retd) Biplab Kumar Sharma committee regarding Clause 6 of the Assam Accord.
Aasu President Utpal Sarma condemned Hameed’s comments regarding Bangladeshi immigrants and demanded an apology from the organizers of the public meeting, Axom Nagarik Sanmilan. Hameed’s remarks, which ignited ongoing statewide protests, were made at a recent gathering in Guwahati. Aasu accused the meeting organizers of irresponsibility for inviting her, labeling her comments as not only anti-Assam but also anti-Indian. Sarma questioned the lack of police action against Hameed and called for a response from Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Original Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/aasu-to-stage-hunger-strike-torch-rallies-against-illegal-immigration/articleshow/123550208.cms
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Publish Date: 2025-08-28 03:04:00
