“Rise for Assamese Identity!”: ASOM Stage Massive Protest Against CAA Extension

Assam witnessed a surge of protests on Thursday as political and social organizations strongly condemned the central government’s extension of the citizenship cut-off under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) to December 31, 2024. Spearheaded by the Asom Sonmilito Morcha (ASOM), the demonstrations drew hundreds of activists and leaders who demanded immediate revocation of the new provisions, calling them a direct threat to Assam’s indigenous communities.

The protesters expressed outrage over the government’s decision to grant citizenship to foreigners who entered India before the new deadline, arguing that it will displace tribal communities, facilitate the transfer of land to non-local traders, and erode the cultural and political rights of native Assamese people.

Addressing the gathering, Rajya Sabha MP and ASOM President Ajit Kumar Bhuyan called the newly enacted “CAA 2.0” law anti-indigenous, communal, and predatory, warning that it could jeopardize the very existence of the Assamese people. “Today in Assam, conspiracies are unfolding to erase our communities, our lands, and our identity—‘Jaati Gol, Maati Gol, Bheti Gol,’” Bhuyan asserted, evoking the historic struggle for Assam’s survival.

Joining the protest, Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) President Lurinjyoti Gogoi condemned the law as a deliberate attempt to divide communities. “The people of Assam have never accepted this law, and we never will. Our protests will continue until justice is done. Assam must not become another Tripura,” Gogoi said, recalling the tragic outcomes of previous CAA protests in which five demonstrators were killed—a loss recently recognized by the Assam Chief Minister as martyrs.

The demonstration attracted leaders and activists from multiple parties, including CPI(M) and AJP, showcasing broad-based opposition to the central law. Protesters also targeted alleged corruption and land transfers by families of state and central BJP leaders, which they claimed further threaten Assamese interests.

The unrest was triggered earlier on Wednesday when the Centre issued the Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) Order, 2025, published in the Gazette of India. The order exempts certain communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and Bhutan—including Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians—from needing passports or valid travel documents if they entered India on or before the new deadline. This move reignited long-standing opposition in Assam, where the CAA is widely seen as violating the 1985 Assam Accord, which had set March 24, 1971, as the cut-off date for detecting and deporting illegal migrants.

Protesters made it clear that the demonstrations would continue until the government addressed their demands, with leaders calling on all Assamese citizens committed to protecting their identity and heritage to join the movement.

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