Assam Minister: 'Impossible to provide proof of religious persecution under CAA'

Amid the uproar over Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Assam State Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday stated that it is "impossible" to provide a proof of religious persecution under CAA. According to him, a person cannot go to Bangladesh to collect a copy of the police report. 

Speaking to the media, he said, "If a person has to prove it then he has to go to Bangladesh and collect a copy of the police report. Why would the police station in Bangladesh give that proof? So, said that it is not possible to prove the concept of religious persecution under the Citizenship Amendment Act." 

Questioning the criteria

Earlier during the implementation of the newly amended citizenship act, the Assam State Finance Minister had questioned religious persecution as a criteria for CAA. He had asked, "How can an applicant prove that he is a victim of religious persecution or that he has fled his country of origin and entered India owing to fear of religious persecution?"

Read: AMU students take out balloon march against VC, Registrar over CAA & NRC

Assam CM shown black flags amid protests

On January 15, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal was shown black flags by the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) activists during protests against CAA in Dibrugarh district. The protestors were also heard shouting 'Sarbananda, Go Back', 'Sonowal Murdabad', 'CAA aami na maanu' (We do not accept CAA) and 'Jai Aai Asom' (Glory to Mother Assam). 

Read: Sena backs Faiz's 'Hum Dekhnge' poem, slams BJP government for terming it 'anti-Hindu'

Protests against CAA

The protests against CAA that first broke out in Assam, spread across the country. Violent protests have been witnessed in Uttar Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal, Gujarat, Karnataka, Bihar, Delhi, and Maharashtra. Several universities across the country witnessed clashes between the police and the students after the violence in Jamia Millia. 

The Citizenship Act was passed in the Lok Sabha on December 9 and then by the Rajya Sabha on December 11. The Act seeks to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. 

Read: Siddaramaiah targets Home Minister Amit Shah over funds for Karnataka floods and CAA

Read: As Assam celebrates Mag Bighu, some people protest against Citizenship Amendment Act

(With ANI Inputs)