Hyderabad: Assamese community stages anti-CAA dharna

HYDERABAD: Several from the city’s Assamese community gathered at Dharna Chowk on Sunday evening to protest the recently passed Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The protesters held placards and raised slogans opposing the Union government’s move. Police had to intervene and disperse the agitators.


According to the protesters, their intention was not only to oppose the Act but also to spread awareness about the current situation in Assam and the north-east. “CAA will change the demography of Assam. We fear its implementation will make us a minority in our own land,” said Pranab Jyoti Gogoi, a protester.

Many other protesters agreed with Gogoi and raised concerns over how the Centre had given assurances to protect their cultural, linguistic and ethnic identity while on the other hand they were, through this Act, allowing immigrants from neighbouring countries to enter and settle as citizens.

Another protester, under the conditions of anonymity, said: “Even when NRC was rolled out, citizens of Assam were happy as the government had found a way to curb illegal immigration. But the government did not know what to do with them; therefore they sent them to detention camps which are in an awful state. Now with CAA, the government wants to bring in more immigrants.”

Few protesters also raised concerns over other issues such as the lack of jobs in Assam. “There are are hardly any industries. So, we have to move out of our own land in search of jobs. The government should first focus on the development of Assam,” said one youth.