"Won't Accept Centre's Dictation": Assam MLA Warns BJP On Citizenship Law

A day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in West Bengal that the Centre will implement the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) as soon as the ongoing coronavirus pandemic ends, Assam activist turned politician Akhil Gogoi threatened the ruling BJP at the centre and the state saying he will again hit the streets in protests along with his supporters. The people will never accept this "anti-people" law, Mr Gogoi, who is also an independent MLA, said.

"The Assamese people will not take this dictation of the Centre on CAA," he told NDTV, calling it a "draconian act" which he says "has no place in Assam".

The fiery farmers' leader warned the BJP saying it should realise that there is unity among all sections of people in opposing CAA.

"We will hit the streets, my political party Raijor Dal will lead the renewed protests against CAA should the centre really go forward with the implementation. This is an anti-people act, I want to reiterate that we will not accept any dictation on CAA," he said.

Mr Gogoi had made headlines for leading massive protests against the controversial citizenship law in Assam. He was arrested in connection with violent protests in the state in 2019 and was charged under the stringent anti-terror law UAPA. He was in detention for over one and a half years before being elected to the state assembly as an MLA.