All Assam Students’ Union to protest dropping of foreigners tribunal cases against non-Muslims

The All Assam Students’ Union on Thursday said that it will protest against the state government’s decision to drop foreigners tribunals cases against non-Muslims who entered the state before 2015.

The Assamese nationalist students’ organisation also demanded the withdrawal of the Citizenship Amendment Act from Assam.

Scroll was the first to report on Tuesday that Assam’s Bharatiya Janata Party government, citing the amended citizenship Act, has asked district authorities and members of the foreigners tribunals to drop cases against persons from six communities – Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain and Parsi – who entered the state on or before December 31, 2014.

The state’s home and political department had held a meeting on July 17 and discussed “issues related to foreigners tribunal with reference to Citizenship Amendment Act” and the “dropping off cases”. The meeting was held following a directive from Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

In its statement on Thursday, the All Assam Students’ Union said that it opposed the government’s order directing the withdrawal of the cases against “illegal Hindu Bangladeshis” pending before the tribunals and demanded the cancellation of the decision that “granted protection” to them.

It added that copies of the order would be burnt by members of the organisation in every district headquarters on Friday. “This directive...

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