ISAS Insights

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is seen in Assam as against the letters and spirit of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord. The local population from the state and other parts of northeast India feel that, with this bill coming into effect, the region will be flooded with a large number of immigrants, which will dilute their culture and identity. On the other hand, the Union government of India argues that the persecuted religious minorities from the neighbouring countries have nowhere to go except India. It has also been clarified that those people can go to any state of India, and not only to Assam. However, given the history of immigration and tensions due to it, a section of Assamese and people from the neighbouring states are not convinced by this argument.