'Only 8 applied for citizenship under CAA': Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma slams anti-CAA protest leaders, say they exaggerated claims

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma revealed on Monday that only eight individuals had applied for citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in the state, four months after the rules were notified. He highlighted how anti-CAA protest leaders had exaggerated, claiming that up to 50 lakh illegal immigrants could gain citizenship under the amended law.

Citizenship has long been a sensitive issue in Assam, a state with a history of anti-outsider movements. In 2019, the state witnessed massive anti-CAA protests that resulted in the deaths of five people.

The CAA, passed by the Centre in 2019, aims to expedite Indian citizenship for Hindus, Parsis, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, and Christians who fled religious persecution in Muslim-majority Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan before December 31, 2014.

Assam is home to a significant population of Hindu Bengalis who have migrated at various times, as well as large numbers of Bengali Muslims who have entered the state illegally from Bangladesh.

"Only eight people have applied for citizenship under the CAA. Of these, only two have attended their interviews," Sarma stated at a press conference.

Sarma explained that it had become evident that members of the Bengali Hindu community, who are not listed on the National Register of Citizens (NRC), were not applying for citizenship under the CAA. "They say they came to India before 1971," he said, referring to the cut-off year for citizenship in Assam.

The Supreme Court-monitored NRC exercise in Assam released an updated list in 2019, excluding around 19 lakh people, leaving their citizenship status in question.

"I have spoken to many people who are confident of their Indian citizenship and are prepared to prove it in court," Sarma said, adding that this sentiment is widespread in Assam.

When asked about the possibility of withdrawing cases in the Foreigners Tribunals, Sarma suggested that proceedings might need to be paused for a few months to allow people to apply for citizenship under the CAA.

"Anyone who came to India before 2015, according to the CAA, has the right to apply for citizenship. If they don't apply, we will file cases against them. This is a statutory instruction. We will deport those who arrived after 2015," he asserted.

Sarma also addressed "misleading" reports that cases against Hindu Bengalis in the Foreigners Tribunals were being dropped. "We cannot drop any case. We are only suggesting that before filing a case, applicants should apply through the portal. Even if a case is filed, it will have no result as they are entitled to citizenship," he clarified.

"We are not deciding to drop or not drop cases. We are simply flagging the legal provisions," he added.

Reflecting on the massive protests against the CAA in Assam, Sarma noted that he initially believed at least two to three lakh people would apply for citizenship under the amended law, but only two individuals had attended their interviews.

"Anti-CAA protest leaders claimed that 30 lakh to 50 lakh illegal immigrants would gain citizenship through the law. But the actual number of applicants is starkly different," Sarma remarked.

He also remembered the deaths of the five individuals killed during the 2019 anti-CAA protests.

"Hindu Bengalis assert that they are Indian and have the necessary documents to prove it. They are prepared to fight a legal battle if needed but won't apply under the CAA," said Sarma.

Addressing issues related to the lack of Aadhaar cards, Sarma shared an incident where a girl from Assam couldn't join Deloitte due to not having an Aadhaar card. "We are coordinating with the Centre to resolve these issues," he assured.