Assam CM Sonowal gets emotional: I\'m your son, where will I go?

Guwahati: Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal here on Wednesday said that his government has urged the central government, which is in the process of framing the rules under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, to incorporate his government's point of view so that the interests of indigenous people of thhe state are protected.

Claiming to be a "son of this soil" who would never compromise with the interests of indigenous people at any cost, Mr Sonowal, in an interaction with journalists on New Year’s Eve, said, “I would like to make an appeal to the people of my state to have trust in me. I am your son and this government which I am heading is here due to your blessing. We sons of the soil are running this government since 2016 but have never compromised with the interests of the people. Please do not isolate me…where will I go if you do so? Just wait and watch for some time, all false campaigns will fall flat.”

Playing on emotions, Mr Sonowal reiterated that a wrong narrative on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) by was being fed to the people by certain destructive elements, makingn Assam suffer violence and arson.

“A section has misguided the people by claiming that the CAA will make 1.5 crore Hindus of Bangladesh eligible for citizenship. I know you will not believe me now but the reality is that very few people living in Assam for decades will get citizenship because of this Act. It will become clear when we publish the list after their applications are processed,” said Mr Sonowal, lamenting that he has been called by various nicknames by protesters.

“I assure the people of Assam that my government will not take any step that goes against the indigenous Assamese people. There is no point of being the chief minister if I cannot protect the interests of the very people who elected us. Assam was, is and will be for the Assamese people, and no force can threaten our language, culture and existence,” Mr Sonowal said.

Pointing out initiatives taken by his government since 2016 and the massive investment by the central government in the state, Mr Sonowal said, “It is amusing to see that the BJP which worked so tirelessly for the development of the state has become the villain and those who looted the state and did nothing to defend the state from invasion of foreigners are part of the  agitation.”

Asking all the agitating groups--AASU, AJYCP, Asom Sahitya Sabha and others-- to join hands for the alround development of the state, Mr Sonowal  said that his government would safeguard--jati, mati, bheti (community, land, home)--of the indigenous people.

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