KMSS black flags for Shah

Guwahati: The KMSS will greet BJP national president Amit Shah with black flags on Sunday.

KMSS convener Akhil Gogoi said here on Wednesday that they would observe May 20 as "black day" for Assam in protest against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 being pushed by the BJP-led central government. "The BJP is imposing the bill, which is a challenge to us and a threat to the existence of Assamese society," he said.

"We challenge the BJP-led state government to grant permission for the protest. I assure it that the protest will be peaceful. Our members will show black flag to Amit Shah at the LGBI Airport and at the venue he is scheduled to attend a meeting. No member will shout even one slogan against him," he added.

Shah will be here for a day to participate in a party meeting at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra, sources in the BJP's Assam committee said.

The bill proposes to grant citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, who entered India on or before December 31, 2014.

He said during the 2014 Lok Sabha election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said all infiltrators will have to leave Assam after May 16. "Exactly four years have passed since but no infiltrator has left Assam. On the other hand, the BJP-led government is now planning to grant citizenship to foreigners who will basically settle down in Assam. We will never allow this. Assamese people are innocent but not fools," Akhil said.

He alleged that the BJP-led Centre had taken pro-infiltrator initiatives after assuming power. "The government made important changes in the Passport Act and the Foreigners Act before taking up the bill which made deportation of Bangladeshis impossible. So now, we have to struggle to get special state status like Jammu and Kashmir."

Akhil said in 2015 and 2016, the Centre decided to provide certain employment facilities, such as permission to open bank account, purchase property for self-occupation, get PAN card, Aadhaar, to persons (as mentioned in the bill) staying on long-term visa in the country. This, he said, would complicate matters.

He said, "We suspect the BJP will tamper with the NRC, harming the interest of Assam. It is time for a united movement."