Parties Calling Bandhs Over CAA Could Lose Registrations: Himanta Sarma

Political parties could lose their registrations if they call bandhs in violation of court orders, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said today.

Any opposition to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), 2019 should be taken to the Supreme Court and protests on the streets would serve no purpose as the law had already been enacted, he said.

"Everyone has a right to protest. But if a political party disobeys the court order, its registration may be cancelled," he said, adding that while it is permissible for student organisations to call for a bandh, political parties cannot do so in the state due to a Gauhati High Court order prohibiting it.

"If any political party violates the High Court order, we will go to the Election Commission," he added, referring to the Opposition announcing intensified agitations if the CAA is implemented.

The Chief Minister said those opposing the CAA should place their views before the Supreme Court as it is the only authority that can scrap the law now.

"If more intense agitation was to take place, it should have been done before the law was passed. Now it is only a matter of notifying the rules, which the government is bound to do. Even if some agitation happens now, I guarantee that no new person will join it," Mr Sarma added.

Opposition parties, students, and other organisations have announced intensified protests against the CAA, which seeks to provide Indian citizenship to Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Parsis who entered India on or before December 31, 2014, from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan and lived in the country for five years after.

The 16-party United Opposition Forum, Assam, (UOFA) staged a sit-in demonstration in the state's Kaliabor on Friday when Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived on a two-day visit to the state.

The forum said a state-wide bandh will be called the very next day the contentious Act comes into force, followed by 'gherao' of the Janata Bhawan - the secretariat.

It also submitted a memorandum to President Droupadi Murmu, saying they would undertake a "democratic mass movement" across the state if the CAA is not repealed.

The state witnessed massive protests after the Rajya Sabha passed the CAA on December 11, 2019, with agitators engaging in pitched battles with security forces, forcing the administration to impose curfew in several towns and cities.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah earlier said CAA rules would be notified and implemented before the Lok Sabha polls.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)