"CAA Is Not for Assam": AASU’s Warning Amid BJP's FT Case Rollback for Hindu Bangladeshis

In what appears to be a widening backlash against the Assam government's controversial move to withdraw Foreigners Tribunal (FT) cases against non-Muslim undocumented migrants, the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) has announced a statewide protest on August 8. The student body will burn copies of the directive across all district headquarters, demanding its immediate revocation and Assam’s complete exclusion from the purview of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

The protest call comes in response to recent instructions from the state’s Home and Political Department—issued after a July 17 meeting chaired by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma—directing Foreigners Tribunals not to pursue cases against individuals belonging to six religious communities: Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, and Parsis, provided they entered India before December 31, 2014. This action, officials confirmed, is aligned with the Union government’s March 2024 notification of the CAA rules, nearly five years after the law was passed amid nationwide protests.

AASU leaders Utpal Sarma (President) and Samiran Phukan (General Secretary) condemned the directive, stating that it blatantly violates the secular principles of the Constitution and directly contradicts the Assam Accord. “Assam is not a dumping ground for illegal Bangladeshis. This selective protection based on religion is unconstitutional and unacceptable,” the duo said in a statement.

The students' body also reiterated that all migrants, irrespective of religion, who entered Assam after the cut-off date of March 24, 1971, must be detected and deported as per the Assam Accord. “This is an assault on the indigenous identity of Assam. If CAA is inapplicable in most of the Northeast, then why should Assam alone bear the brunt?” the statement read.

Directive Sparks Widespread Concern Over Discrimination, Election Strategy

The state's internal communication also reportedly "encourages and supports" affected individuals from the six religious groups to apply for Indian citizenship under CAA. District administrations have been asked to monitor compliance and submit action-taken reports. Similar instructions were issued earlier this year for the withdrawal of FT cases against Koch-Rajbongshi and Gorkha communities—both electorally significant for the ruling BJP.

Civil rights group Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP), which provides legal aid to people facing FT proceedings, expressed alarm at what it called a “legally divisive and politically calculated” shift in Assam’s citizenship adjudication.

“This executive diktat effectively enshrines religion as the basis of citizenship, violating Articles 14, 15, and 21 of the Indian Constitution,” said a CJP spokesperson. “It further confirms what many feared during the anti-CAA protests—that the NRC-CAA combine would create a two-tier citizenship regime, shielding non-Muslim undocumented migrants while exposing Muslims to statelessness, detention or deportation.”

CJP’s data shows that despite the state’s promises to end FT cases against Koch Rajbongshis and Gorkhas, members of these communities continue to face tribunal proceedings. In contrast, there is no such reprieve for indigenous Muslim groups like Goria, Moria, Deshi, and Sayeed Muslims—highlighting a deepening disparity in treatment based on religion and political calculus.

Assam Most Affected by CAA Despite Regional Exemptions

AASU also pointed out that while CAA has been exempted in large parts of the Northeast—including the entire states of Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, and Manipur (all under Inner Line Permit regimes), and 98% of Meghalaya and 70% of Tripura (under Sixth Schedule)—the law remains applicable in 27 out of Assam’s 35 districts.

“This is discriminatory and a direct threat to Assam’s demography and indigenous rights. If it’s harmful elsewhere, it’s harmful here too. Assam must be completely exempt from CAA,” said AASU President Utpal Sarma.

The Road to 2026: Consolidating the Vote, Weaponising Citizenship?

Observers see the withdrawal of FT cases against Bengali Hindus, Koch-Rajbongshis, and others as part of the BJP’s larger strategy to consolidate its electoral base ahead of the 2026 Assam Assembly elections.

In April this year, CM Sarma had announced the revocation of over 28,000 FT cases involving Koch Rajbongshis. However, legal proceedings against members of the community have reportedly continued, including recent hearings such as that of Kishor Barman in Kajalgaon FT—raising questions over implementation.

The contradictions, critics argue, reflect the government’s selective and politicised approach. The term “Khilonjia” (indigenous) remains legally undefined, leading to arbitrary inclusions and exclusions across ethnic and religious lines.

Fear of Statelessness Looms for Many

The recent developments are also being viewed in the context of the final NRC list released in 2019, which excluded over 19 lakh applicants, including 5 lakh Bengali Hindus, 2 lakh Assamese Hindus, and 1.5 lakh Gorkhas. The BJP had then promised to “rescue” Hindu NRC rejectees through CAA—a promise it now appears to be delivering on. But for Muslims similarly excluded, no such legal safety net exists.

“Citizenship is being filtered by faith. Those who protested in 2019 were right: this isn’t just bad policy—it’s the scaffolding of a majoritarian state,” said a legal activist involved in NRC-FT legal aid.

With AASU taking to the streets and rights groups gearing up for legal challenges, the political and legal landscape in Assam is set for renewed turbulence. As the state marches toward the 2026 polls, the question remains: will citizenship continue to be used as a tool of political engineering—or will constitutional safeguards prevail?

Also Read: Gauhati HC Flags Flaws in Foreigners Tribunals Amid Bangladeshi Crackdown