United they sing: Assam artists raise voice against controversial Citizenship Bill

From Zubeen Garg to Papon, several prominent artists of the state have denounced Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016, describing it as “detrimental” to the plural culture of Assam.

The Bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act 1955 to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslims including Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians, who fled religious persecution in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan and entered India before 31 December 2014.

On Monday, the Supreme Court had maintained that the pleas challenging the Bill, could only be taken up after the bill was approved by the Rajya Sabha. The Lok Sabha had passed the contentious bill on January 8.

The Bill, according to critics, violates the basic tenets of the Constitution. The classification of illegal immigrants on the basis of religion under the proposed law goes against the fundamental right to equality under Article 14.

Five days after Zubeen Garg, BJP's voice for 2016 campaign song, wrote to Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal over the Bill, he has demanded that the votes the BJP got using an election song sung by him in 2016 be “returned” to him.

Garg, in a Facebook and Twitter post, has also offered to return the remuneration received for the BJP’s campaign song. “Dear Sarbananda Sonowal Da, wrote a letter to you few days back. Guess you are too busy counting the black flags to respond,” the singer wrote, referring to the ongoing protests.

“So, can I get the votes back that you earned using my voice in 2016? I am ready to refund the remuneration,” he added.

On January 8, Garg had threatened to protest if the Chief Minister failed to take steps to reject the controversial Bill within seven days. The singer had posted an emotional letter addressed to Sonowal on social media along with his photograph holding the letter.

“Even if the Citizenship Bill has been passed in the Lok Sabha, Sarbada (Sarbananda Sonowal) can say no to it. Speak and see, rest will be seen later. I am still keeping my cool. I won't be in Assam for one week. It will be good if Sarbada takes some action before my return. Otherwise this time, I will agitate on my own. What I will do, I don't know,” he said.

Another eminent singer from the state, Angarag Mahanta popularly known as Papon, has also opposed the Bill, saying it hurts the “Assamese sentiments”.

“We promote Assamese culture across the globe and if we cannot present it in our own state, it will be lost and we cannot allow it to happen”, the singer, who hails from Assam, told reporters.

“There can be no two opinions that the Assamese sentiment has been hurt and I extend my full support to Zubeen da on the stand he has taken on the Bill”, he added, questioning that “if everyone is opposing the Bill, then why is the government not re-considering it.”

On Wednesday filmmaker Rima Das — whose film Village Rockstars was India’s official entry to the Oscars 2019 — also took to Facebook to oppose to the Bill. She hashtagged her post as #LoveMyLand and #LoveMyPeople.

Other voices of dissent in Assamese cultural fraternity include Bipin Chowdang, Neel Akash, Kusum Kailash. Recently, they took part in a protest against the Bill in Dibrugarh, singing songs of Assamese music legend Bhupen Hazarika. They also urged Chief Minister Sonowal to “save Assam for Assamese people”.

However, a large number of residents in the Barak Valley have welcomed the Bill. They feel it will help end alienation of Bengali Hindus living in Assam.

Amid ongoing protests over the Bill in several north-eastern states, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is likely to meet the Chief Ministers of these states soon.