Assam CM's Statement On CAA Sparks Row As He Denies Entry Of New Foreigners In State

Tagging the video of a press conference held in Guwahati a day earlier, CM Sonowal wrote on Twitter: "As a son of Assam, I will never settle foreigners in my state. This Sarbananda Sonowal will never allow this..."

Assam has been reeling under strong protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act. (File Photo/ Getty)

New Delhi: In a new turn of events and a possible first disagreement over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has openly said that he will not allow foreigners in his state. It all started with a tweet posted by Assam CM on January 2 which many interpreted as his public stand against the amended Citizenship Act. Tagging the video of a press conference held in Guwahati a day earlier, CM Sonowal wrote on Twitter: "As a son of Assam, I will never settle foreigners in my state. This Sarbananda Sonowal will never allow this..." The tweet immediately became the talk of the town with many touting it to be disagreement over the new legislation within the BJP camp. If the interpretations are meant to be true, Sonowal will be the first BJP CM to oppose CAA.

As a son of Assam, I will never settle foreigners in my state. This Sarbananda Sonowal will never allow this... https://t.co/vjoexMdicj

— Sarbananda Sonowal (@sarbanandsonwal) January 2, 2020

The statement by Assam CM came as a massive embarrassment for the saffron party as it was posted on the same day when both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah had criticised Congress and other parties for opposing the CAA. Shah, while speaking at ABP News' flagship Shikhar Sammelan summit, had said slammed Opposition being against providing relief to those who have been religiously persecuted in Pakistan and other neighbouring countries. According to the CAA, members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014 and facing religious persecution there will not be treated as illegal immigrants, and be given Indian citizenship. Trouble mounted further for the BJP when yet another tweet was posted by Sonowal later in the day. "My commitment towards Assam and the Assamese society will forever remain intact. I have come out of this land with the blessings of the people of Assam and will never forget that, even if I am in a national party," the tweet read.

My commitment towards Assam and the Assamese society will forever remain intact.

I have come out of this land with the blessings of the people of Assam and will never forget that, even if I am in a national party. pic.twitter.com/u7MkfO7Exe — Sarbananda Sonowal (@sarbanandsonwal) January 1, 2020

Over the past one month, Assam has been reeling under strong protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act putting the state government under the line of fire. Thousands of people hit the streets in various parts of the city decrying the CAA and vowing to continue with the protests till the law is withdrawn. Meanwhile, the Congress party was quick enough to notice Assam CM's tweet and took a pod shot at the Centre. Congress's Communication In-charge, Randeep Singh Surjewala, used Sonowal's tweet to hit back at the Modi government. Quoting the tweet, the Congress leader wrote: "Mr Prime Minister, Stop fooling India! Your own CM is openly opposing CAA. Will you now declare him 'anti national'? I challenge you to dismiss him before criticising the opposition." During his presser on Facebook on Wednesday, Assam CM did say that the new law will not effect the demography of Assam. “No foreign immigrant can come to Assam as a result of the Citizenship Amendment Act, nor shall we let them come in. By no means can the Act affect the demography of Assam,” he has said. Earlier this week, Sonowal said that his government has sent its suggestions to the Centre on the rules of implementing the Citizenship Amendment Act in Assam, PTI reported. Activists of the All Assam Students’ Union and Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chhatra Parishad on Wednesday waved black flags at Sonowal while his convoy was passing through Nalbari and Barpeta districts.