GUWAHATI: The opposition to the Centre’s rollout of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in Assam heightened into a legal battle on Tuesday as the Leader of the Opposition and the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) knocked on the Supreme Court’s door seeking a stay on it.
Leader of the Opposition, Debabrata Saikia, filed an interlocutory application in the Supreme Court, stating that the rules of the CAA violate Article 14 (Right to Equality) of the Constitution and also infringe upon Clause 6 of the Assam Accord.
“The rules violate Article 14 of the Constitution, which guarantees equality to all persons – citizens and foreigners. Differentiating between people along religious lines, especially concerning citizenship issues, would be a violation of the Constitution,” the Congress leader was quoted as saying by the press.
Meanwhile, a three-member delegation of the AASU – Chief Adviser Samujjal Bhattacharya, President Utpal Sarma, and Shankar Jyoti Baruah – filed a writ petition in the apex court challenging the rules and seeking a stay order on the CAA.
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“We appeal to the court to issue a stay order on such notifications, which aim to gain only political benefit by posing a serious challenge for the indigenous people of Assam,” Bhattacharya told a news channel on Tuesday.
Interestingly, the developments align with what Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said in Sivsagar during an event on March 12.
Speaking to the press, Sarma had said that since the debate surrounding the CAA has people on both sides of the spectrum, those opposing it should approach the court.
“With two and a half years having passed since the CAA’s enactment in Parliament, those contesting its legitimacy must recourse to the courts,” he said.
His remarks come amidst a backdrop of simmering dissent across Assam, with opposition parties vehemently criticising the BJP government at the Centre for pushing forward with the implementation of the contentious act.
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On Tuesday evening, in what can be termed as the largest gathering of protesters in Assam since the Centre implemented the Act on March 11, about 400 students from different institutions took out a rally at Guwahati’s Latasil ground.
Brandishing torches, banners, and placards, the students, led by their leaders, demonstrated against the Centre’s move.
“Until the Act is scrapped, we will continue with the non-violent protests and legal battles. Assam and the Northeast are not a dumping ground for illegal immigrants. We will strictly follow the Assam Accord,” a regional daily quoted Bhattacharya.
