Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Sunday vowed that his party, if voted to power, will never implement the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 or CAA in Assam.
Speaking at Sivasagar in Assam, the former Congress president said, "Whatever be circumstance, we will never implement CAA if voted to power." Rahul and other Congress leaders wore a "gamcha" with "No CAA" printed on it.
The CAA, passed in 2019 by the BJP government at the Centre, promises fast-tracked citizenship to members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014. The law faced protests across the country, including in Assam where people alleged that it would be used to change the demography by granting citizenship to Bangladeshi immigrants who arrived in Assam illegally.
Speaking at the rally, Rahul said his party will protect the principle of Assam Accord and will not deviate an inch from it.
"BJP, RSS trying to divide Assam; Narendra Modi, Amit Shah won't be affected by it but Assam and rest of India will be affected," he said.
"Congress united people of Assam; earlier there was no surety whether one would return home from public meetings due to violence," he added.
Congress leaders also paid a tribute and kept 2-minute silence in the memory of Pulwama martyrs.
Responding to Rahul Gandhi's statement, Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "Nobody is discussing CAA. You can check social media. People are busy discussing that Assam has given scooty to girl students, and which two-wheeler the boys will get. Congress is behind by 50 years, brings up stale issues."
"From whom do they want to save Assam? If they want to save Assam, then, let them take a stand against the immigrant Muslims and say that we will protect Assam's culture," he added.
