Guwahati:
The picture in the three Bengali dominated districts of the Barak Valley is a study in contrast to the Brahmaputra Valley of Assam, which is in the throes of violence and protests against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill.
The Hindu immigrants from Bangladesh in the Bengali- dominated Cachar, Karimganj and Hilakandi districts whom PTI spoke to expressed happiness over the passage of the bill in Parliament as they are hopeful that they would now get their much sought after Indian citizenship and not remain stateless any more.
Most of them had fled their homes in Bangladesh in the face of religious persecution and had taken shelter in India.
A person from Karimganj district who identified himself as Bhola told PTI that he has been compelled to leave his home at Begumganj in Noakhali district of Bangladesh and take shelter in India as he had refused to agree to a Muslim’s proposal to wed his daughter.
“I have two daughters and one son. The man wanted to marry my 16-year-old daughter. I refused to give my permission and that very night he and some Muslim persons attacked my house. We were forced to hide in the jungles…. Nobody gave shelter to my family and we were forced to come to India,” he recounted.
The man said he along with his family had entered Karimganj via Tripura.
“Now my family can be saved by CAB and we can get Indian citizenship. My family is very happy,” Bhola said.
Biswajit Nath, who is also from Karimganj, said he was born there but neither his nor his family members’ names were not in the final National Register of Citizens.
“We had submitted all the necessary details but our names did not figure in the NRC list. My family members were under mental pressure.
“We have found a new life since the CAB was passed last night. We can now get Indian citizenship,” he said.
Similar sentiments were expressed in Hailakandi district by a person named Benu Das, who was released from a detention camp after nearly four years.
Das said he is not aware of the provisions of the CAB but is hopeful of getting Indian citizenship.
In Cachar district, the family of 60-year-old Sulekha Das is hopeful of getting her released from the detention camp at Udarbound.
“Only time will say whether my mother-in-law will get Indian citizenship. But the main priority for the family is to get her released from the detention camp,” said her daughter-in-law.
Nabadwip Das, also from Cachar, said he had come to India during the Bangladesh Liberation War from Bhanugach in Sylhet district of Bangladesh.
Das said he is very happy that the bill has been passed by Parliament as he has no Indian citizenship certificate and was anxious about the fate of his children.
“I feel my problem will end now. My children will now get Indian citizenship on the basis of the CAB,” he said.
