NewsClick

NewsClick
  • हिन्दी
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Covid-19
  • Science
  • Culture
  • India
  • International
  • Sports
  • Articles
  • Videos
search
menu

INTERACTIVE ELECTION MAPS

image/svg+xml
  • All Articles
  • Newsclick Articles
  • All Videos
  • Newsclick Videos
  • हिन्दी
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Science
  • Culture
  • India
  • Sports
  • International
  • Africa
  • Latin America
  • Palestine
  • Nepal
  • Pakistan
  • Sri Lanka
  • US
  • West Asia
About us
Subscribe
Follow us Facebook - Newsclick Twitter - Newsclick RSS - Newsclick
close menu
×
For latest updates on nCOVID-19 around the world visit our INTERACTIVE COVID MAP
Politics
India

BJP in Damage Control Mode in Assam

The BJP might have finally realised that identity politics in the Northeast has little to do with religion.
Newsclick Report
01 Jun 2018
Rajnath Singh And CM Sarbananda Sonowal

The Government of Assam has called for an urgent meeting with the All Assam Students Union (AASU) today. The meeting will deal with 'important matters pertaining to the current situation in the state'. This call comes after the CM Sarbananda Sonowal met with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to discuss issues regarding the proposed Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.

On Wednesday the CM along with chief secretary T.Y. Das, director-general of police Kuladhar Saikia, special director-general of police (special branch) Pallab Bhattacharya, principal secretary (home) L.S. Changsan, NRC state co-ordinator Prateek Hajela and others attended the meeting. While from the Union government, the Union home secretary Rajiv Gauba, chairman of joint intelligence committee R.N. Ravi, interlocutor for several insurgent groups in the Northeast A.B. Mathur, registrar-general of India Sailesh, and MHA joint secretary (Northeast) Satyendra Garg, attended the meeting. The outcome was a statement from the MHA that no further action would be taken without consulting all stakeholders. It was also mentioned that all efforts would be made to address the concerns of the people of Assam.

The Citizenship Bill has been vociferously opposed in the Assamese dominant Brahmaputra Valley whereas opposition to it is muted in the Bengali-speaking Barak Valley. Various groups and political parties have banded together to oppose the Bill. On Thursday, two organisations opposed to the Bill, the Left Democratic Manch and the Forum Against the Citizenship Act Amendment Bill, met in Guwahati. Along with the Manch a conglomeration of political parties such as the Congress, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), CPI, CPI (M-L), NCP, JDS, LDP, Asom Sangrami Manch, Aam Admi Party, Revolutionary Communist Party, AIUDF and Samajwadi Party attended the meeting. The Forum, however, consists of prominent citizens and public intellectuals from Assam. The two organisations have submitted memorandums to the CM asking him to make his stand on the Bill clear and to convene an emergency session of the Assembly to discuss the matter. The AGP who is an alliance partner of the BJP in Assam has also resolved to raise the issue in the cabinet meeting scheduled today.

What makes it interesting here is that not only does the entire scenario resemble the 1980s, but that a former president of AASU is silent on the issue. Apart from his association with AASU, he also served as the chairman of the North East Students Organisation (NESO), and was a member of the AGP. It is unlikely that his core philosophy regarding Assam has been replaced with Hindutva. However, his silence appears to be dictated by political bosses he does not wish to fall foul of. He has effectively been placed in a catch-22 situation. On one hand, if he speaks out against the Bill he would have to face a backlash from the BJP. On the other hand, his silence will erode his credibility as a champion of Assamese nationalism. What the BJP appears to be finally coming to grips with is that religion takes a back-seat in Northeast politics.

 

Get the latest reports & analysis with people's perspective on Protests, movements & deep analytical videos, discussions of the current affairs in your Telegram app. Subscribe to NewsClick's Telegram channel & get Real-Time updates on stories, as they get published on our website.
Assam
BJP
AASU
Sarbananda Sonowal
Rajnath Singh
Citizenship Bill
Related Stories
Amartya Sen

Bengal Shouldn't Choose Powers with Defective Record of Social Justice, Economic Policies: Amartya Sen

BJP Leaders Indifferent to COVID-19 Crisis

BJP Leaders Indifferent to COVID-19 Crisis?

Election Commission

Bengal Elections: Why EC’s Referee Conduct Leaves Much to be Desired

How Preventive Detention Laws in Assam, UP, and Haryana Work

How Preventive Detention Laws in Assam, UP, and Haryana Work

What a BJP Victory in Bengal Would Mean for India

What a BJP Victory in Bengal Would Mean for India – a Step Closer to Hindu Rashtra

BJP MSME

Non-Official Members of Newly Constituted MSME Board Primarily BJP-RSS Affiliates: Report

West Bengal Polls: In the Hills, Compulsions Dictate Local Outfits’ Decisions

West Bengal Polls: In the Hills, Compulsions Dictate Local Outfits’ Decisions

Bengal Elections: There’s a Triangular Contest; Strong Undercurrent Against TMC, BJP: BK Hariprasad

Bengal Elections: There’s a Triangular Contest; Strong Undercurrent Against TMC, BJP: BK Hariprasad

assam foreign tribunal

Gauhati HC Overturns FT Order, Declares Man to be Indian Citizen

KTK Transport Strike

Karnataka: ‘Thaalis Banged’ on Sixth Day of KSRTC Workers Strike

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on WhatsAppShare via EmailShare on RedditShare on KindlePrint
Share
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on WhatsAppShare via EmailShare on RedditShare on KindlePrint
Share

Related Stories

Rabindra Nath Sinha

‘Palpable Curiosity about West Bengal Polls in Bangladesh’: Dhaka Intelligentsia

21 April 2021
Call it curiosity or interest, it is visibly palpable in Bangladesh as peop
Subhash Gatade

What Happens When Faith Overrides Sense?

20 April 2021
It was 1527, and Martin Luther, leader of the Protestant Reformation, wrote a letter advising a Lutheran leader what a believer should
Dipanjan Sinha

What a BJP Victory Would Mean for Bengal – a Step Closer to Hindu Rashtra

19 April 2021
In this exclusive interview, Prof Partha Chatterjee, political scientist, former Director, Centre for Studies in Social Studies, Calcutta, and

Pagination

  • Next page ››

More

  • Heartless Lockdown

    COVID-19: Lockdowns Are Back - What About Our ‘V-shaped’ Recovery?

  • COVID Surge: SC Stays HC Order Directing UP Govt to Impose Strict Curbs in 5 Cities

    COVID Surge: SC Stays HC Order Directing UP Govt to Impose Strict Curbs in 5 Cities

  • Tn Health system

    COVID-19: 2nd Wave Overburdens Tamil Nadu Health System, But Govt Still in Denial

  • FB Data

    Global Data Leak: Cyber Security Agency Asks Indian Facebook Users to Enhance Account Privacy

  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with
about