Assam is the only state so far where the NRC exercise was carried out
A one-day special session of the Assam assembly was called on Monday to ratify 126th Constitution (Amendment) Act to extend reservation to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in parliamentary and assembly constituencies for another 10 years.
It was the first time that the assembly met after last month's protests in the state against the citizenship act or CAA. The opposition wanted to discuss the CAA, but the Speaker did not allow it.
The CAA remained the focus inside and outside the assembly on a day when in Delhi the high power panel for implementation of the Clause 6 of Assam Accord met with Home Minister Amit Shah.
The recommendations of this committee will pave the path for a constitutional safeguard for indigenous communities on their land and resources. It is said to be BJP's new mantra to win back lost ground in Assam.
On Monday morning, legislators from Badaruddin Ajmal-led AIUDF protesting with placards against the CAA stood outside the main entrance of the legislative assembly. Inside the assembly, the Congress-led opposition protested when Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi was reading out his speech.
While the ruling BJP-led alliance legislator including Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal were seen having tea with the Governor, the Congress gave an offer to Mr Sonowal.
"We had moved a plea for a discussion on CAA but the Speaker did not allow it. We wanted them to take a stand in the assembly for Assam Accord and against the CAA and for taking such steps Sonowal and his MLAs have to leave BJP. We will support them to form government in the interest of Assam," Leader of the Opposition in Assam assembly Debbrata Saikia told NDTV.
The BJP said the Congress was "frustrated". "Congress party is frustrated since after one year all development works in Assam will get completed. There is no provision to discuss in this session but Congress did this to create confusion in the minds of people," state BJP president and MLA from Sorbhog constituency Ranjit Kumar Dass told NDTV.
Not only inside the assembly but even outside, civil society groups came together for yet another agitation meeting to oppose the controversial law.
"The BJP will never implement Clause 6. They have said clearly that they don't believe in the Assam Accord. We seek that the assembly passes a resolution to implement Inner Line Permit in Assam," said Sanjiv Bora, a leader from Assam Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chattra Parishad (AJYCP), one of the civil society groups in the state involved in anti-CAA protests.