The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee has called for granting citizenship to all the Hindu immigrants from Bangladesh.
“We urge the Central government to grant citizenship to all Bengali Hindu people, who crossed over to Assam after being subjected to inhuman torture following the partition of the country,” The Statesman newspaper quoted APCC President Anjan Dutta.
These people had been the citizens of undivided India and were forced to flee to save their lives after being tortured on the basis of religion, Anjan told reporters on Monday. “This resolution was taken during the executive meeting of APCC on May 25 in the presence of AICC General Secretary and Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi,” he added.
Congress’ move is a deviation from their earlier stand of opposing different treatments to illegal Bangladeshi immigrants on the basis of religion. The BJP, however, has been supporting the idea of giving citizenship to all Hindu immigrants from Bangladesh and other neighbouring countries.
“Some Hindus have come from Bangladesh due to religious disturbances. The BJP will give all of them citizenship with religious sympathy once we come to power in Assam next year,” BJP President Amit Shah had told at a rally in Guwahati on April 26 this year.
Following this, the Congress had strongly criticised the BJP and the Centre.
Anjan on Monday also said the Congress expressed grave concern for “Buddhists and people from other communities” who had come to Assam and India after being tortured on the basis of religion.
A senior party functionary, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Congress changed its stand and toed the BJP line in fear of losing the votes of Bengali speaking Hindu people in the forthcoming elections.
In his speech, Amit Shah had reiterated PM Narendra Modi’s promise in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls that other states would share the burden of providing shelter to the Hindu refugees from Bangladesh.
“I want to assure you that Hindus who have suffered religious persecution [in Bangladesh] need not worry. The BJP will give all the necessary protection to them. Assam alone will not have to bear the burden of sheltering the Hindu refugees. Other states will also share the responsibility,” he said.
