Assam Grants First Citizenship Under CAA to Sylhet-Origin Resident

Guwahati: In a landmark move, Dulon Das, a 50-year-old resident of Silchar in Assam, has become the first individual in the state to receive Indian citizenship under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). This development has ignited strong reactions from opposition parties and student groups across the state.

Originally from Sylhet, Bangladesh, Das entered India in 1988 and settled in Silchar, Cachar district of Assam. Despite not applying for the National Register of Citizens (NRC), Das reportedly managed to obtain several government-issued documents, including a voter card, driving licence, PAN, and Aadhaar cards, despite his alleged illegal status, according to one of his relatives.

Das applied for citizenship through a dedicated online portal on April 1, 2024. His application was approved on Tuesday, following which he received an official communication from the Union Home Ministry. "I was asked to visit Guwahati's Regional Passport Office to collect my citizenship certificate. I got a message from the Union Home Ministry on Tuesday," Das told.

During his application process, Das submitted a land deed from his father, who had purchased property in Sylhet in 1986. Das is married to an Indian woman, and the couple has two children, both born in Assam.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, facilitates the provision of Indian citizenship to Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Parsis who entered India on or before December 31, 2014, from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, after residing in the country for at least five years.

Reacting to the development, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma criticized the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) for their earlier claims about the potential impact of the CAA. "AASU claimed that 20 lakh Bangladeshis would receive Indian citizenship. They should be ashamed now, though they remain shameless even after only one person has received citizenship," Sarma said. He added that when AASU observes its next martyr's day, the government would mark it as "betrayal day."

AASU chief adviser Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharjya reiterated the organization's opposition to the CAA, stating, "The organization and the people of the state do not accept CAA, and a case is pending at the Supreme Court." He added, "The Assam CM can speak to PM Narendra Modi and settle these negligible people in Gujarat."

The decision to grant citizenship to Das has been met with strong condemnation from opposition leaders. Raijor Dal President Akhil Gogoi called the move a "threat to our identity," asserting that despite the loss of five youths in the anti-CAA movement in 2019, the government has proceeded with granting citizenship to illegal immigrants. "This act is anti-Constitution and a threat to democracy," he stated.

Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) President Lurinjyoti Gogoi also criticised the government, expressing concerns about the potential impact on the region. "Giving citizenship in the backdrop of the present situation in Bangladesh is a grave concern for Assam and Northeast. The region is already under identity threat. CAA has made the Assam Accord completely ineffective," Gogoi said. He warned that the process of granting citizenship to those who entered Assam illegally from Bangladesh could open the door to more such cases in the future.

The Assam Accord, signed in 1985, mandates the detection, deletion from electoral rolls, and deportation of all foreigners who entered the state on or after March 25, 1971.

As the state grapples with the implications of this decision, the political and social ramifications of the first citizenship granted under the CAA in Assam are likely to unfold in the days to come.