Massive protest in Guwahati as Assam Sammilita Morcha slams Centre over CAA cut-off extension

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaSeptember 4, 2025

The Assam Sammilita Morcha (ASM) on Thursday spearheaded a large-scale protest at the Designated Dharna Ground in Sachal, Guwahati, against the Union government’s decision to extend the cut-off date for granting citizenship to non-Muslim migrants under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). The extension, which pushes the deadline to December 31, 2024, has ignited a fresh wave of anger across the state, with protesters calling it a violation of the historic Assam Accord of 1985.

The demonstration was led by ASM president and Rajya Sabha MP Ajit Kumar Bhuyan, alongside general secretary and Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) president Lurinjyoti Gogoi. Both leaders denounced the Centre’s notification, describing it as a direct attempt to burden Assam with foreigners for decades to come.

Addressing the gathering, Gogoi accused the BJP-led government of betraying Assam’s indigenous people. “By repeatedly shifting the cut-off year, the Centre wants to impose the burden of foreigners on Assam for 53 years. This is a betrayal of the Assam Accord and a conspiracy to divide communities for electoral gains,” he said.

He alleged that the government’s move aims to legalise nearly 1.9 million people excluded from the National Register of Citizens (NRC). “Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma are enemies of Assam. We will not accept this anti-people decision, and our fight will continue until this government is overthrown,” Gogoi declared.

Bhuyan echoed similar concerns, warning that Assam cannot carry the additional burden of foreign nationals. “The Assamese people have always upheld March 25, 1971, as the final cut-off date, as agreed in the Assam Accord. By overruling this, Delhi has betrayed Assam. This is not just about citizenship—it is about protecting our land, resources, and identity,” he said, accusing the BJP of being “tyrannical, corrupt, and anti-Assamese.”

The protest also drew participation from leaders across the political spectrum. CPI(M) state secretary Suprakash Talukdar condemned the move, saying the government had reduced the Assam Accord to “waste paper.” He criticised the new Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) Order as a disguised attempt to implement what the CAA could not. “This is a fraud against the people of Assam and will darken the state’s future,” he remarked.

The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) leadership extended its support, with secretary and former MLA Ashok Sharma, Media Cell Chairman Bedbrat Bora, and Assam Pradesh Congress Seva Dal president Deep Bayan joining the protest. They accused the BJP of pushing “anti-people and communal policies” that threaten Assam’s social fabric.

Thursday’s protest witnessed a strong turnout from student bodies, civil society groups, and activists who raised slogans against the Centre. Leaders declared the demonstration as the start of a renewed mass movement to defend Assam’s rights and identity.

“The people of Assam have already sacrificed too much in safeguarding their land, culture, and political rights. By extending the cut-off date, the Centre has dishonoured the Assam Accord and endangered our very existence. We will resist this injustice at every step,” Gogoi reiterated.

The ASM announced plans to intensify its agitation, promising to unite regional parties, opposition groups, and citizens’ organisations in a broader campaign.

Adding to the chorus, the All Assam Students Union (AASU) and the Assam Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) staged parallel protests, terming the extension the “ultimate betrayal” by the Narendra Modi-led government. Demonstrators accused New Delhi of not only undermining Assam’s identity but also transferring land and resources into the hands of “outside business groups,” thereby threatening the state’s demographic and cultural balance.

With growing resentment across the state, political observers say the issue is likely to escalate into a major flashpoint in Assam’s political landscape. For many, the Centre’s decision has reopened old wounds linked to the anti-foreigner movement and the long struggle that culminated in the Assam Accord.

As one protester summed up amid chants of “CAA aami namanu” (We will not accept CAA): “Assam will not remain silent. We fought before, we are fighting now, and we will fight again.”