CAA Deadline Extension a Conspiracy by Centre Against Assam: Lurinjyoti Gogoi

Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) president Lurinjyoti Gogoi on Wednesday strongly opposed the Centre’s decision to extend the deadline for granting citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) from December 31, 2014 to December 31, 2024.

Speaking to the media, Gogoi recalled the mass protests of 2019 against the CAA, stating that the people of Assam had made it clear that the state had already been grappling with the problem of illegal immigrants for 43 years. “Now the government wants to extend this burden for another ten years, meaning the people of Assam will have to suffer for a total of 53 years,” he said.

Accusing the Centre of conspiring against the state, Gogoi alleged that the move was aimed at “destroying the future of the Assamese people, their culture, and their identity.” He asserted that the people of Assam have never supported the CAA and will continue to oppose any law that threatens Assamese language, culture, and existence.

“The Centre knows that the people of Assam stand against anything that endangers their culture. That is why they are now trying to impose this amendment as a conspiracy. We urge the Centre not to implement this in Assam. If the government truly considers Assam an integral part of India, this amendment must not be enforced here,” Gogoi added.

The AJP president also took a dig at Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, reminding that Sarma had earlier assured that the deadline under CAA would not be extended. “The Chief Minister keeps changing his statements during election campaigns only to mislead people for votes. But now, the people of Assam are being forced to carry the burden of illegal immigration for decades,” Gogoi said.

Meanwhile, Assam CM said that, "The CAA is now a law, but its impact in Assam has been minimal so far. In the two years since it came into effect, only 12 people have applied for citizenship, and just three have been granted it. The remaining nine applications are still under scrutiny. This highlights the limited significance of the law in the state, especially considering earlier expectations of 20 to 25 lakh people potentially benefiting from it."

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