Assam CM Reveals Low Uptake of Citizenship Under Amended Law, Only Eight Applicants So Far

On Monday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that only eight people from the state have applied for citizenship under the amended citizenship law. Speaking at a press conference, Sarma noted that out of these eight applicants, only two have attended their hearings, while the rest have not proceeded further.

Sarma explained that efforts to reach out to Hindu Bengalis in the state have been met with reluctance, as they insist on their Indian identity and prefer to pursue their cases in the Foreigners Tribunals instead of applying for the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The BJP has conducted outreach programs in Barak, but the general sentiment remains hesitant.

Criticizing the organizations that protested against the new citizenship law, Sarma highlighted the discrepancy between the projected and actual number of applicants. He admitted to overestimating the potential applicants, initially expecting around 1.5 lakh applications.

Additionally, the chief minister mentioned that the state government will address the cases of individuals whose biometrics were frozen during the NRC updating process, which has prevented them from obtaining their Aadhar cards.