Protests in Assam over BJP's Delhi Vision Document

Guwahati, Feb 4 (IANS) Angry people Wednesday took to the streets across Assam over the BJP's Delhi poll Vision Document that described people from the northeast region in Delhi as "immigrants".

The National Students' Union of India took out a protest rally here and burnt the BJP's flag in front of the party's state headquarters.

Other student organisations including the Students Federation of India, All Assam Students' Union (AASU) and Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad also demonstrated in different parts of Assam.

The Bharatiya Janata Party's vision document for the Feb 7 Delhi assembly polls, which was released Tuesday, said: "North eastern immigrants to be protected."

The Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), a farmer's body led by RTI activist Akhil Gogoi, also demonstrated at Dighalipukhuri area here, demanding an apology from the BJP for its insult to the people of the northeast.

"This is the ultimate insult to the people of Assam and northeast. How can the BJP treat the northeasterners as foreigners? The word 'immigrant' means the process of migration from one sovereign nation to another sovereign nation," Gogoi said.

"So, how can they call the students from the northeast region as 'immigrant'? This has exposed the real nature of the saffron party."

AASU adviser Samujjal Bhattacharyya said: "This is an unpardonable crime and the BJP must tender an unconditional apology to the people of Assam and northeast."

Asom Gana Parishad president Atul Bora also condemned the vision document, saying national political parties like the Congress and the BJP cannot do any good to the people of the region.