Kin of first martyr of Assam movement stands against bill

The family members of the first martyr of the Assam Movement,Khargeswar Talukdar in run up of the December 10 which is observed as Swahid Diwas (Martyrs’ Day) in Assam to commemorate the death anniversary of Khargeswar Talukdar, who was killed in police action on December 10, 1979 has shown  solidarity with the people of Assam and have lended its support the region-wide movement against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill today.

The brother of the martyr,Kameswar Talukdar who resides in his native village of Uzanbarbari of Lower Assam's Barpeta district said, “Our family vehemently oppose the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill and we appeal to the Centre and State government to thwart the implementation of the bill if passed into an act in Assam and contrarily implement the Assam Accord in letter and spirit."

He further said, "In greater interest of the people of Assam and in display of respect towards the martyrs of the Assam movement the bill's implementation in Assam must be nullified at any cost by the government."

Assistant General Secretary of All Assam Students' Union(AASU),Jayanta Kumar Bhattacharjya said,

"If the Bill becomes an Act, the sacrifices made by the 855 martyrs of the Assam Movement will come to nought and their sacrifices will bear no meaning if Hindu Bangladeshis entering Assam after 1971 are accorded Indian citizenship. "

It may be mentioned that 76 martyr families had returned the mementos conferred on them by the Assam government on Martyrs Day in 2016, in protest against CAB when the Centre tried to table the contentious legislation in Parliament in January, 2019.

Pertinently,altogether 855 people laid down their lives and more than 3000 people  were injured during the six year long All Assam Students’ Union(AASU) led Assam Movement from 1979 to 1985 that resulted in signing of the Assam Accord.

The Accord set midnight of March 24, 1971, as the cut-off date for detection and deportation of foreigners. Seven years after signing of the Accord, the Assam  Chief Minister, Sarbananda  Sarbananda Sonowal became the AASU president and remained in the post for eight years.