CAA is against provisions of Assam Accord: Priyanka Gandhi

Guwahati: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday stated that the provisions of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) are against the Assam Accord signed nearly four decades ago.

Addressing the crowd during a road show organised in Jorhat in Assam to drum up support for Congress deputy leader in Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, the party’s candidate from the seat, she urged people to focus on their problems and not get distracted by the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) tactics.

“CAA is completely against the Assam Accord. So, if you want to stop it (implementation of the legislation) and want focus on your problems like inflation and unemployment, then you should vote for the Congress,” she said.

The CAA makes it easier for Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists and Parsis from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, who entered India on or before December 31, 2014, to get Indian citizenship.

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The Assam Accord, which was signed in 1985 after a six-year long agitation against illegal immigrants, stated that anyone who enters Assam, irrespective of religious affiliation, after March 25, 1971, would be deemed as an illegal immigrant and deported.

Many indigenous groups in Assam feel that CAA, once implemented, would lead to more illegal immigrants entering the state, which in turn would threaten the language, culture and identity of local populations. Violent protests in December 2019 against the legislation had led to 5 deaths in police action.

“BJP’s sole aim is to make you lose focus (from the real issues) and take your votes based on religion and caste and remain in power at all costs. It’s time to teach them a lesson. You should send a message to the country that you will elect someone who will address your problems,” the Congress leader said.

She termed Gogoi and his late father Tarun Gogoi, who was chief minister of Assam for three consecutive terms, as examples of true and honest politicians who will be in contact with voters even after polls to solve their problems.

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Gaurav Gogoi, who earlier won twice from the Kaliabor (now renamed Kaziranga after last year’s delimitation), is contesting from Jorhat (a seat represented thrice by his father) this time. His main rival in the sitting BJP MP, Topon Kumar Gogoi. Voting in Jorhat will take place in the first phase on April 19.