Citizenship issue of Bengali Hindus will be solved within six months: Himanta

Silchar: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said the citizenship issue of the Bengali Hindus of Assam will be solved within the next six months.
“Over the years, we couldn’t give any promise on the issue as the there was some work left to be done by the Centre. But it is over now and I promise that the issue of ‘D’ voters and other problems pertaining to the citizenship of Bengali Hindus will be resolved after within six months,” the chief minister said while addressing separate public meetings in Silchar and Karimganj.
In February this year, Himanta had informed the assembly that there are 96,987 ‘D’ voters in Assam as on date, while over 89,000 have been removed from the tag from 1997 to 2023. He further stated that there are 26,144 ‘D’ voters, who have received notices, while 11819 cases are pending. Moreover, 41,275 ‘D’ voters are yet to receive a Foreigners’ Tribunal notice.
Himanata, however, didn’t say anything on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) of 2019, whose rules were notified on March 11.
The chief minister, during the day, accompanied Parimal Suklabadya and Kripanath Mallah, both BJP candidates from Silchar (SC) and Karimganj Lok Sabha seats, respectively, during their submission of nomination papers.
Sarma also promised that an industry will be set up on the land of the now-closed Cachar Paper Mill of the Hindustan Paper Corporation Ltd at Panchgram in Hailakandi district. “This will be in line with one semiconductor unit set up at Jagiroad by the Tata Group,” he said.
PM Narendra Modi had virtually laid the foundation stone for the Tata Group’s Rs 27,000-crore semiconductor assembly and test facility to be set up at Jagiroad in central Assam’s Morigaon district where there was a paper mill of the HPCL which is defunct now.
Addressing large gatherings in both the southern Assam towns, Sarma promised to set up a medical college in Hailakandi district, which falls under Karimganj LS constituency, if Karipanath Malla is re-elected from the seat.
The chief minister also expressed hope that Suklabadya, a minister, will win by a margin of 2.5 to 3 lakh votes in Silchar.
The CMsaid whoever has a ration card will get the benefits of Arunodoi Scheme.