Denial of Citizenship
rights and marginalization: Linguistic Bengalis and Muslim minorities in Assam
Author: Shahiuz Zaman Ahmed
Description:
![Denial.jpg]()
This book explores the
citizenship issue in Assam where the Muslims and Bengali speaking Hindus are
discriminated against by the state by way of the ‘D’ voters list. ‘D’ stands
for doubtful voters and this is an insidious way of religious profiling resorted
to by the state to marginalize minorities. The state of Assam arbitrarily puts
names of these groups in this dubious list in a register whereby these voters
can’t vote and exercise their important political and civil right. Perhaps what
is interesting about the book is that it also gives a brief history of the
conflict between the Assamese and the Muslims and Hindus from West Bengal who
were encouraged by the British pre Independence to settle and cultivate land in
Assam for economic and political reasons. This was followed by a number of
negotiations and pacts. A new dimension was added to this issue during and
after the formation of Bangladesh when a large number of Bangladeshi citizens
migrated to India and especially Assam. The Muslims in Assam are ‘deported’
back to Assam as the state alleges that they are Bangladeshi migrants. This
leads to a real and brutal fear of rendering innocent citizens stateless- a
grave human right violation. The discontent against these Bengali speaking
Muslims and Hindus still persist
after so many decades and they are arbitrarily denied their basic citizenship
rights. This issue is raised by All India Secular Forum, a national platform to
consolidate secularism along with other organizations. A fact finding committee
of AISF also went to the affected regions of Assam and spoke to a number of
people and wrote an insightful report on the situation of the victims. This
report is also a part of this book whereby making it a comprehensive reading on
this topic.
Shahiuz Zaman Ahmed is a professor at the
Guwahati University and an active member of AISF Assam.
ISBN:978-81-922087-0-1
Price: Rs. 150/-
For
Copies Contact
Institute for Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution
602 & 603, New Silver Star, 6th Floor,
Santacruz (E),
Mumbai: - 400 055.
E-mail: ips...@gmail.com
Phone: 022-26149668, 26102089
