The concerns of the north-east are genuine. These states have always borne the burden of the Bangladeshi Hindu Bengali refugees, who didn't come to India at once. They have been crossing the borders since 1947 — the year that also resulted in the formation of East Pakistan, modern Bangladesh, through the separation of East Bengal from India. However, the largest influx of the Bengali Hindus at one instance took place in 1971 — when Pakistani army particularly targeted the minority Hindus. The immigrations didn’t stop then in 1971. This continued influx forever changed the demography of Tripura by turning it into a Bengali majority state — which till the early 1950s was a tribal majority state.

The fears of the Assamese community, who are steadfastly opposing the act, are based on the historical change of their neighbouring state — Tripura. Their unending worries result from the demographic change that Assam is witnessing. The figures of the 2011 census point to the increasing Bengali speaking population in the state at the expense of the Assamese speakers — who now account for 48% of the state population. The unified voice of the Assamese community is that — they don't want the repetition of another Tripura in Assam.

The new Citizenship Act already excludes a large part of the north-east region — as it states that it won't be applicable to the states coming under Inner Line Permit (ILP), which is applicable in Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Manipur. Manipur and Dimapur of Nagaland are the recent additions to the ILP. Also, the act is not applicable in the sixth schedule areas of the north-east — leaving large portions of Tripura and Meghalaya, with some partial exclusions in Assam.

The demand of Assamese is to completely exclude the state — as this act also violates the Assam Accord of 1985 signed between the Union government and the Assamese organisations. It is the same Assam Accord that promised to update the National Register of Citizenship (NRC) list of Assam implemented in 1951. Already, last year the updation of NRC was completed in the state fulfilling the long awaited demand of the Assamese community. The cut off date of NRC was 25th March, 1971 while the Citizenship Amendment Act, which allows six minority religions — Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Christianity and Zoroastrianism — of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, the three Islamic declared countries, places 31st December, 2014 as the final date for citizenship.

It is not that Assamese community is totally blind towards the bitter truth of the Bengali Hindus of Bangladesh. Already, in the Assam Accord, the Assamese organisations had accepted that those Bengali Hindu refugees who came to Assam in between 1947 and 25th March, 1971 would be accepted — as nobody can deny the harsh evidence of Hindu persecutions in erstwhile East Pakistan. The same argument applies to the demand of Tripura's tribals, who now account for 31% in the state. The tribals, who are mostly Hindus with some sections practising Buddhism and Christianity, argue that already they have become ethnic minorities in their own homeland and with additional citizenships to the Bengali Hindu refugees, they see more marginalisation in the state in the near future. That’s why they also crave for the exemption of the rest 25% of the state, where the majority Bengali Hindus reside.

However, the recent statement of home minister Amit Shah provides a silver lining to the agitators of the north-east. Shah had said that he is open to discussions and is ready to tweak the act — if needed considering the demands of the region. The home minister in the Rajya Sabha had also assured the Assamese community to protect their culture, language and literature by saying that already there is a committee formed for the first time by the Modi government this year since 1985 to provide roadmap to the implementation of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord — which aims to safeguard the interests of the indigenous people of Assam. The 12 member committee under former Gauhati High Court Judge Biplab Kumar Sarma is yet to submit its report. Modi government could have waited for the report. But, it chose not to. Actually, the urgency of the Modi government to bring the bill,now an act, resulted in all these violent protests of Assam.

Unlike the other parts of India, north-east is economically poorly developed with more ethnic, cultural and linguistic diversity. The influx of refugees and illegal migrants pose a real threat to the indigenous people of the region — that's the reason they vigorously support NRC, which is most despised by the so-called secular Indian liberals. The indigenous people of the region regard NRC, along with its own flaws, as the safety net to save their own culture. Fact is no one stops the Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Amit Shah to simply announce the exemption of the entire north-east from the new Citizenship Amendment Act — which will only assuage the anxieties of these states. Centre has to just announce it simply. That's it. (IPA Service)