AASU-KMSS’s competitive nationalism lay siege on Assam

The competitive nationalism lay siege on Assam as two blocs- the AASU led 26 organisations and the KMSS led 70 organisations are trying to outdo each other on the issue of the Citizenship Amendment Bill.

The AASU took a broader approach, sensitizing the key people across India to thwart the bill but KMSS took the more visible stand within Assam ensuring continuous and bigger media visibility.

"Both the group's protest are more rhetoric and nothing but competitive nationalism to emerge as the more dominant bloc and greater media coverage" said a political columnist without attaching much of importance to these protest.

" How serious they are against Bangladeshis were very exposed as only 80 objections forms have been filed against suspected Bangladeshs in the NRC's claims and objection period. By the side of the CAB protest, these 96 organisations should have organized themlseves to file objections. Te truth is that no one is interested about Bangladeshi imigrants, all are busy self promoting at the cost of emotional Assamese people. Had they were serious, these objections should have been 80,000 not 80" the columnist said.

The AASU began the game taking all the students organisations of the North East to New Delhi, putting pressure at New Delhi meeting the key persons, who could influence the Bill.

The KMSS, determined not to give any space to the AASU allowed the Durga Puja festivities to end and quickly gave a state wide Bandh call.

That forced the AASU to take next move and they organized Dispur Chalo on November 9.

The KMSS responded to that by announcing Sankalpa Yatra from November 16 when motor cycle rally protest shall be coming from all over the state,

This round robin league of protest has amused most as the BJP and political parties are busy strategizing on the Panchyat Poll trying to push the Citizenship Amendment Bill(CAB) to the back burner.

"We all know what is actual protest and what is the media space domination exercise. We are now busy with Panchyat Poll and that is the indicator of people's mood not the protest of the professional agitators" said BJP spokesman Rupam Goswami.