ASM moves SC over citizenship base year for Assam

Guwahati: The Assam Sanmilita Mahasangha (ASM) on Tuesday filed a petition in the Supreme Court (SC) of India seeking a review of the October 17, 2024 verdict issued by a five-judge bench of the apex court that upheld the validity of March 25, 1971 as the base year for granting of Indian citizenship in Assam.

According to the verdict of the five-member SC bench, Indian citizenship can be granted to immigrants from Bangladesh who entered Assam before March 25, 1971.

The ASM, an umbrella organization of 104 indigenous communities of Assam, has vehemently opposed this ruling of the apex court, terming it anti-constitutional, partisan, and indicative of colonial outlook.

In a statement issued here, ASM's Security Council president Matiur Rahman, the chief petitioner, argued that while 1951 is the cut-off year for Indian citizenship all over India, March 25, 1971 as the base year for Indian citizenship only in Assam is totally unacceptable and unconstitutional.

"Adhering to March 25, 1971, the day Bangladesh was declared an independent country, as the cut-off year for Indian citizenship only in Assam is a violation of the base year of 1951 which applies to the whole country in respect of granting of Indian citizenship," Rahman said.

The ASM leader stated that the review petition has been filed in the Supreme Court of India in order to ensure that Assam doesn't become a Tripura or Palestine in the future.

He pointed out that the indigenous peoples of Tripura and Palestine have lost their rights to their land and property that they had held for thousands of years because of uninterrupted influx of foreigners.

Rahman explained that before delivering the October 17, 2024 verdict, the five-member bench of the apex court had not gone through the history of the indigenous groups of Assam, the fact of the British making Assam part of India, and the historical events connected with the bringing of foreigners by the British to Assam and liberal acceptance of those foreigners (over 1.5 crore) by Assam as Indian citizens.

"The ASM is not against any religious or linguistic community. The Mahasangha is guided by the ideals of the architect of the Indian Constitution Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar and Bishnu Rabha," Rahman said.

He also said that the review petition has been filed in the SC in the interest of the security of the genuine Indian citizens and indigenous communities of Assam.