CAA Adds Worry To Assamese As Union Minister Kiren Rijiju's 'Relocation' Remark Sparks Uproar

Amid the rising concerns regarding the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), a new concern has emerged in Assam as Union Minister Kiren Rijiju made a statement, provoking many from the Assam population. Adding the fresh concern, the Arunachal Pradesh BJP leader said that more than 67,000 people from the Chakma and Hajong communities staying in his state would be relocated to Assam with the help of the CAA, news portal The Wire reported.

Notably, the Union Minister”s statement has been met with a strong reaction from the Assam opposition parties. Noting Rijiju”s remark that Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the Assam government are already aware of the matter, the opposition asked Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to respond to the statement.

Referring to the mentioned communities, the Minister during the press conference on April 22 said that they are staying in Arunachal Pradesh as guests. “They are not entitled to get a permanent resident certificate of citizenship here.”

As per the report, the Union Minister also said that they have begun discussions with Amit Shah to identify land in Assam for the relocation. 

The news portal further quoted the minister saying that the CAA was “a blessing”” to Arunachal Pradesh. Notably, Union Minister Rijiju is vying for his fourth term in the Arunachal Pradesh West parliamentary constituency in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The polling was conducted on April 19 for this seat. 

As per the 1985 Assam Accord, the inclusion of Assam within the CAA constitutes a violation of the treaty. After the notification of the CAA rules by the centre, the State Chief Minister Sarma also claimed that the CAA was insignificant in the state while predicting less application under the new law.

However, with the Arunachal Pradesh BJP leader”s statement, the regional parties in Assam have attacked the Chief Minister for his mentioned role in the alleged relocation attempt of Chakma and the Hajong refugees to Assam. The Raijor Dal and the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) attacked Mr Sharma, with Raijor Dal leader Akhil Gogoi asking the Chief Minister to clarify whether he had received any such instructions from the government of India or Amit Shah. “And if Rijiju is lying, Sarma should force him to apologise publicly,” he added. 

AJP general secretary Jagdish Bhuyan accused the ruling BJP leadership of orchestrating a conspiracy to “undermine the interests of Assam’s indigenous communities.”

Reacting to the development, the Assam state Congress president Bhupen Borah said that the Union Minister”s remark has exposed the “conspiracy being hatched against Assam to which the chief minister is privy”.

State CPI (M) chief rSupakash Talukdar also reacted asking what will be Assam’s situation if such a thing happened. “Assam BJP president Bhabesh Kalita had stated that at least 20 lakh people will apply for citizenship in Assam under the CAA. And now, Rijiju has said that they (Arunachal Pradesh) have already spoken with the Union home minister and with the Assam chief minister so that the Chakma and Hajong refugees (from erstwhile East Pakistan) could be settled in Assam…such a dangerous thing has now been disclosed in public,” The wire quoted Prakash Talukdar as saying. 

Chief Minister Denies, Says will speak to the Union Minister after election

Reacting to the mounting pressure on the sensitive issue, the Assam Chief Minister asked where is the land to relocate them to Assam. “Neither anyone from the Chakma or Hajong refugees nor Rijiju had any discussion with me,” Mr Sharm said, adding that he will speak with Rijiju once the elections are over. 

With the political heat on the sensitive issue mounting and with the second phase of voting in Assam slated for April 26, Chief Minister Sarma reacted to the situation by denying it. “Where is the land to relocate them to Assam? Neither anyone from the Chakma or Hajong refugees nor Rijiju had any discussion with me,” he told reporters.

Making the issue more obvious, former general secretary of All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union (AAPSU), Tobom Dai has also joined the Union Minister Rijiju, reportedly urging the mentioned communities to accept the reality. 

Notably, the Arunachal Pradesh BJP leadership had echoed similar “outsing Chakmas and Hajongs from the state” remarks earlier too.