Guwahati, Dec. 10: Pride, anger and confusion are on the forefront of Ranju Bharali's mind.

The 59-year-old elder brother of Khagen Bharali, the third martyr of the Assam Movement, said: "The BJP government, which is flouting the Assam Accord by amending the Citizenship Act to pave the way for more Bangladeshi migrants to come here, is also honouring the martyrs who died fighting against illegal migration. I am a bit confused." Ranju, a resident of Narengi forest gate here, spoke to The Telegraph during the Swahid Divas function organised by the state government to honour the 855 martyrs of the six-year Assam Agitation (1979-1985).

The Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre introduced the bill in July to amend the Citizenship Act to allow Hindus, Sikhs and other religious minorities of neighbouring countries to get Indian citizenship. The Centre, after facing protests from several indigenous organisations, referred the bill to a joint parliamentary committee for a review.

Khagen, who was a Class X student in 1979 and member of the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chhatra Parishad, was protesting at the IOL campus in Narengi and died in police firing. He became the third protester to die after Barpeta's Khargeswar Talukdar and Nalbari's Dilip Huzuri.

Md Giyasuddin Ahmed, brother of martyr Mukut Ali, also seemed angry. "It is a nice move by the government to honour the martyrs. But they are also going to amend the Citizenship Act. If that happens, I am ready to lead another Assam Agitation and lay down my life like my brother."

Mukut died in 1982 in an explosion during a demonstration at Fatasil Bazar here.

Swahid Diwas is celebrated on December 10 every year in the memory of Khargeswar. A resident of Bhabanipur in Barpeta district, he led a blockade to prevent Abida Begum, wife of former President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, from submitting her nomination papers for Barpeta parliamentary constituency and was gunned down by then CRPF commander K.P.S. Gill.

The agitation culminated with the signing of the Assam Accord on August 15, 1985, but its key clauses, however, have not been implemented.

Talukdar's brother, Chandra, said, "If the bill is passed, Assam will be overburdened with more migrants. I believe we can negotiate with the Centre and ensure at least Assam is left out of the bill's purview," he said.

The AGP government had honoured the martyrs' families by organising the first Swahid Divas and gave them Rs 30,000 each in 1986. The Sarbananda Sonowal-led government revived the occasion after 36 years and gave away Rs 5 lakh to the families.

However, the family members felt the sum was equivalent to that given in 1986.

"The value of Rs 5 lakh today is similar to Rs 30,000 in 1986. The aid back then was minus the threat of more Bangladeshis coming to Assam," said 76-year-old Maneshwar Sarma, brother of Thaneswar, who was martyred in Mangaldoi.