Assam Governor PB Acharya on Sunday said that persecuted Hindus in Bangladesh or any other part of the world have a right to come to India and stay here and it was our duty to welcome and receive them.
The Governor said this while addressing a Press conference in Raj Bhavan. The Statement came in the wake of a controversy stirred by a section of media, which quoted the Governor on Saturday as saying that ‘Hindustan is for Hindus’.
“I did not say that. I said that the persecuted Hindus in Bangladesh or any other part of the world have the right to come to India and stay here and it is our duty to receive and welcome them. They cannot be outsiders. Otherwise where will they goIJ” the Governor said, adding that it is in this regard he had said that RsHindustan is for Hindus’.
The Governor’s first remark on Saturday was in reference to the Central Government’s recent notification allowing the minorities from Pakistan and Bangladesh, fleeing persecution in those countries, to take shelter in India.
The Governor said that India was a big hearted country and that it has been giving shelter to lots of people, who are victims of religious persecution.
Asked about the Muslims, the Governor, however, said that the Muslims can go anywhere. “They can go to Pakistan or they can come to India. If he goes to Pakistan and feels being persecuted like Taslima Nasrin, he can come to India,” Acharya said.
Acharya also took up the issue of ongoing updation process of National Register of Citizens (NRC) and said that the updated NRC should not have the name of illegal Bangladeshis.
“I am concerned over the reports that the NRC updation process will not be completed by the stipulated date-December this year. However, I have appealed to the department concerned to expedite the process so that it can be completed within stipulated time,” he said.
Acharya said that there are ‘some elements’ who had been trying to derail the process of NRC updation in Assam for their vested interests. “These elements have been trying to see Northeast always in trouble,” he said, adding that the Central Government has, however, been trying its best to improve relations with its neighbours like Bangladesh, Bhutan and etc. for betterment of Assam.
Meanwhile, CM Tarun Gogoi has demanded the Centre to appoint a new Governor, saying that Achayra was behaving like a politician and a Pracharak of the RSS. He said the present Governor has not only tarnished the constitutional post but also breached the pledge he took to secure the unity and integrity of the country.
“After the statement, the Governor has lost the ability to work as the constitutional head of the state. Instead of working as a constitutional head, he is working rather as a RSS Pracharak,” Gogoi said in the statement.
“I do not know why the Central Government had not appointed a permanent Governor in Assam. But he is allowed to remain as Assam Governor during the next year’s Assembly polls, he would work as a BJP member and an RSS Pracharak,” said Gogoi.
“I appeal to the Centre to appoint a different person with a broader outlook and mindset as Assam Governor for the sake of development in Assam,” the Chief Minister said.