Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has made a bold statement, asserting that he would be the first to resign if any individual who has not applied for the National Register of Citizens (NRC) is granted citizenship. This declaration by the Chief Minister comes amidst widespread protests in Assam against the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) by the BJP government.
The CAA aims to provide citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. “I am a son of Assam and if a single person who has not applied for NRC gets citizenship, I will be the first to resign”‘, the chief minister said on the sidelines of a programme at Sivasagar.
The opposition parties in Assam have strongly criticized the CAA, expressing concerns that it could lead to an influx of migrants into the state. Himanta Biswa Sarma, according to PTI, emphasizing his commitment to the people of Assam, stated that he would step down from his position if any discrepancies in the citizenship process are observed.
Sarma emphasized the importance of the online portal for processing citizenship applications, stating that it would provide clarity on the situation. “There is nothing new about the CAA as it was enacted earlier, the chief minister said, adding that “now the time has come for application on the portal.” ‘The data on the portal will speak now, and it will become clear whether the claims of those opposing the Act stand factually correct or not,” Sarma said.