Election Chaupal: Students of Assam Say No to Communal Politics

The students also felt that Bharat Ratna for Bhupen Hazarika was a ploy by the govt to appease Assamese people.

Assam votes in the first phase of Lok Sabha Elections 2019 on 11 April. Two more phases will follow on 18 and 28 April.

So, what are the big election issues in Assam? To find out, The Quint reached Assam. Through our My Vote Chaupal, we have been giving a voice to the Indian voter. Because we truly believe that elections are not about the politicians but about the voters who choose them by making an informed choice.

In this edition of My Vote Chaupal, we spoke to a few students of University Law College, Gauhati University. And here the mandate was clear – the biggest issue in the elections is the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016 (CAB). The bill was not passed in the Parliament and it lapsed.

The bill aimed to give Indian citizenship to minorities like Hindus, Parsis, Sikhs and Christians who come from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

“CAB is going to do great harm to the indigenous people of the Northeast. Citizenship Bill is being looked upon as Hindu vs Muslims but it is not like that in the Northeast. On the basis of religion, they want to bring lakhs and lakhs of Hindu Bangladeshis and dump them in the northeastern states. Due to this, there will be lot of demographic changes.”

Saurabh Pratim Gogoi, Student

The students also felt that the Bharat Ratna for Late Dr Bhupen Hazarika was a ploy by the central government to appease the Assamese people who had turned against the BJP government after they tried to force the Citizenship Amendment Bill on the people of the Northeast.