Who is a citizen? The question that’s driving votes in Assam’s Barak Valley this election
Politics

Who is a citizen? The question that’s driving votes in Assam’s Barak Valley this election

The Citizenship Amendment Bill has exposed hitherto-unseen faultlines in Assam — a Hindu-vs-Muslim divide on the immigrant issue.

   
A Congress hoarding in Silchar | Ruhi Tewari/ThePrint

A Congress hoarding in Silchar | Ruhi Tewari/ThePrint

Silchar/Karimganj (Assam): If there is one thing that has sharply polarised Assam in recent times, it is the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.

While the Brahmaputra Valley had erupted in protests against it, violent almost, the Barak Valley celebrated the bill. Given how delicate the identity issue is in Assam, this defined divide finds a manifestation in the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls as well.

The bill, which was passed by the Lok Sabha but lapsed after failing to cross the Rajya Sabha hurdle, provides for citizenship to refugees of six religions — Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism and Christianity — from Muslim-dominated Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Given the anti-outsider sentiment in the state, which led to the Assam movement against illegal immigrants between 1979 and 1985, the bill has been vociferously opposed by the ethnic Assamese, who believe no “outsider”, irrespective of religion, should be given a stake here.

However, dominated by Bengali Hindus, the Barak Valley is different and has welcomed the bill.

This has given the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has been aggressively tom-tomming the bill, an advantage, seen most distinctly in the Silchar Lok Sabha constituency that is currently held by Congress leader Sushmita Dev.

Most importantly, this has exposed hitherto-unseen faultlines in Assam — a Hindu-versus-Muslim divide on the immigrant issue, fitting well within the confines of the BJP’s majoritarian politics.

Inside a small BJP office in Silchar | Ruhi Tewari/ThePrint

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‘Muslims have their own countries to go’

In Silchar, several Bengali Hindus, who form the dominant constituency, voice complete support for the bill.

“I have never supported one party before, but now it is the BJP. The work they have done — roads, gas connections, houses etc — is very good,” says Gaurang Gopal of Cachar.

“But more importantly, the Citizenship Bill is a much-needed initiative. We welcome it wholeheartedly and are confident that when the BJP comes back to power, it will get the bill passed anyhow,” Gopal adds.

“Muslims have their own countries — Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan. They don’t need to be here,” he says. “But where will Hindu immigrants go? India has to provide for them.”

A BJP supporter in Silchar | Ruhi Tewari/ThePrint

Subhash Das of Kalain says his family has been here for decades and “knows how important this bill is”.

“Hindus have come here because they were tortured and not because they fancied coming here,” he tells ThePrint. “That category is different, they should not get citizenship. The fact that the BJP is trying is why we support them,” he adds.

This wave of support for the bill means Dev, whose father, former Union minister Santosh Mohan Dev, also represented Silchar, is facing a tough contest. While some people like Gopal and Das claim they don’t like her work, others say that while they don’t have a problem with her, they want to support the BJP this time.

“Sushmita Dev is not bad,” says Babul Das of Ramnagar, near Silchar town. “I don’t have a problem with her. But this time, I support Modi because of his work on the development front and the citizenship bill, which I am sure will be passed once he comes back as PM.”


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Advantage Congress

However, it isn’t as if everyone in the Bengali Hindu community supports the bill. Mahendra Baishnab of Cachar says he opposes the BJP and the bill because “this is not what India or Assam are about”.

The Congress, meanwhile, is banking on the very sizeable Muslim vote in the constituency, particularly since Lok Sabha member Badruddin Ajmal’s All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) has not fielded a candidate here.

The Muslim voter says she/he has little choice — a factor that works to the advantage of the Congress.

“The Congress may be corrupt, may be incompetent, but what option do we have?” asks Muhammad Fakruddin of Silchar town.

“Especially after the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill and the National Register of Citizens (an initiative to identify bona fide Indian citizens), the BJP being in power is an even more frightening prospect for us. It has no business meddling with citizenship this way,” he adds.


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The AIUDF factor

Ajmal’s AIUDF, which has slowly made inroads into some Muslim-dominated constituencies, elbowing the Congress out to an extent, has fielded candidates in only three seats this time. This includes Karimganj, where over 50 per cent of the voters are from the minority community, and which the AIUDF represents in the 16th Lok Sabha.

However, this has also meant polarisation of the Hindu vote in the BJP’s favour, and a possible split in the minority vote has made this a closer contest than it otherwise would have been.

“We have nothing to do with the AIUDF. We support the Congress,” says Azharuddin of Hailakandi in Karimganj. “But yes, the split in Muslim votes between the two will mean the BJP’s gain. This seems like a tight fight between the BJP and the Congress.”

That this is not a foregone contest is advantage BJP, considering this area has been far from a stronghold for the party.

Assam has 14 Lok Sabha seats and the BJP is banking on increasing its tally from the current seven to send out the message that it is the dominant player in the state, and dismiss suggestions that its push for the Citizenship Amendment Bill had triggered a backlash.

“No doubt it is a close-enough election. We support the AIUDF. Their MP is a Hindu, but still does a lot for us,” says Muhammad Zakiullah of Karimganj. “But yes, many do support the Congress and that means votes will be divided. This is what makes the BJP a player in the race.”

Both Silchar and Karimganj vote in the second of Assam’s three phases of polling, on 18 April.