The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has launched a scathing attack on the Central government, condemning a recent Gazette Notification that extends the cut-off date for citizenship eligibility under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The party has branded the move a “blatant vote-bank strategy” by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing the Centre of opening a new pathway for illegal immigrants to gain citizenship in Assam.
Speaking at a press conference in Guwahati, senior Congress leader Ripun Bora stated that the new order effectively extends the original December 31, 2014, cut-off date to December 31, 2024, for non-Muslim migrants from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. “This proves that infiltration into India, particularly Assam, is still continuing,” Bora asserted. “If foreigners can break the law and yet be forgiven, it only reflects the mindset adopted by the BJP. Has Assam become a dumping ground for the BJP?” he demanded, calling for an explanation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
The Congress leadership argued that while the Centre claims the law applies nationwide, its most severe impact will be felt in Assam, where the influx of illegal immigrants is a long-standing and sensitive issue. The party alleges that the BJP is intentionally keeping the issue of illegal immigration alive for political gain and has no genuine desire to stop it.
Bora contrasted the current situation with the Congress’s past governance, claiming that no such “wave of infiltration” occurred during their tenure. He challenged the BJP to explain who is currently allowing foreigners to enter the country.
The APCC has called on the Assam government to reject the notification and inform the Centre that the order will not be implemented in the state. The party also criticized the state government for its perceived silence on the matter, pointing out that Mizoram and Meghalaya have already refused to implement the CAA.
The Congress further contended that the incomplete state of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) is a deliberate ploy to accommodate new foreigners. Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia termed the new notification a “second version of CAA,” arguing that it grants illegal entrants the same benefits as legitimate citizens and effectively nullifies the safeguards provided by the Assam Accord.
Highlighting Assam’s unique burden of managing the NRC, Foreigners’ Tribunals, and Sixth Schedule provisions, Bora concluded by stating, “Congress once provided these safeguards to protect Assam from infiltrators. Now the BJP is dismantling them and pushing the state toward destruction.” In a final appeal to the public, the party urged the people of Assam to reject the BJP in the upcoming 2026 Assembly elections.
