Assam cabinet minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the most vocal supporter of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in the state’s echelons of power, has scaled down the number of CAA beneficiaries from 5.42 lakh to about 4 lakh with a span of nine days.

The “fluctuating” figures dished out by Sarma have prompted the anti-CAA brigade to justify their agitation to check Assam from being swamped by illegal foreigners under the new law which allows religiously persecuted non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan to apply for citizenship if they have entered India till December 31, 2014.

On Wednesday, at a peace and progress march organised by the ruling BJP at Barpeta Road under Sorbhog Assembly constituency, represented by the party’s state president Ranjeet Kumar Dass, in lower Assam’s Barpeta district, Sarma said, “Those leading the anti-CAA protests are spreading misinformation that crores of Bangladeshis will come to Assam from Bangladesh and get citizenship under the Act. Some are claiming that 1.2 crore will come while others are saying 2.5 crore people will come. But there is no such Hindu population in Bangladesh. A maximum of four lakh people will apply for citizenship through CAA. The number will not go beyond that. But those opposed to CAA are spreading rumours.”

On December 16, Sarma had told reporters here that “only about 5.42 lakh people” would benefit from the new legislation and not 1.5 crore as was being projected by certain quarters. “According to us, 5.42 lakh people will benefit. This is our figure, which will be less when the process starts,” he had said, adding that the figure was based on the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Attacking the anti-CAA brigade on Wednesday, he said, “This agitation will enter the Guinness World Records as one based on misinformation and lies. No new people will come to Assam through the CAA. They are already staying in India, in Assam, and are engaged in various works. Some have also been elected as MLAs. The Congress is responsible for the influx. Not a single person has come (to India) under the Narendra Modi government. The CAA will ensure that only people who came between 1972 and 2014 will get citizenship.”

Sarma also criticised the artiste fraternity for not condemning the vandalism that took place at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra, a cultural and tourist hotspot, on December 11.

AASU general secretary Lurinjyoti Gogoi and Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Debabrata Saikia hit back at Sarma, saying that the fluctuating figures vindicated the stand of the anti-CAA brigade.

“Why are the numbers fluctuating? Sarma and the government are misleading the public by quoting figures that suit them. One day it is 5.5 lakh, another day it is 4 lakh. Where did he get the figure? The chief minister (Sarbananda Sonowal) says the number is minimal. But we want to know where did he get the numbers? As far as we know, the Supreme Court has not released any figure based on religion. The apex court should take note of this. Figures cannot change reality. We are against illegal foreigners and we want CAA to be scrapped,” he said.

Saikia said according to associations representing the refugees, about 3.5 crore Hindu Bengalis, mostly settled in Bengal, Assam and Tripura, will benefit. “Sarma says his figure is based on NRC data but what about those who have not applied? We stand by the cut-off date of March 24, 1971 in the Assam Accord. We stand vindicated. This agitation has to continue peacefully till the unconstitutional law is scrapped,” he added.

The final National Register of Citizens (NRC), released on August 31 this year, had excluded 19.6 lakh applicants.