With protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) showing no signs of dying, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led coalition government in Assam has decided that it will introduce legislation to bar non-indigenous people from buying land in the state.

The Assam cabinet on December 22nd, 2019 decided that the state government will bring a new bill in the next session of Assam Legislative Assembly for protection of land rights of indigenous people of Assam.

The decision comes on the heels of apprehensions in the state about the influx of migrants, which the natives fear, will become a threat to the Assamese culture and language identity.

In the cabinet meeting, the Sarbananda Sonowal government has decided several other important schemes, measures by aiming to protect the indigenous people.

The Assam cabinet decided that the state government will approach the Centre to declare the Assamese language as the state language of Assam excluding Barak Valley, BTAD area and Hill districts by amending Article 345 of Constitution of India.

The state cabinet also decided that the Assam government will bring legislation in the next Assembly session making it mandatory that the Assamese language should be taught as a compulsory subject in all English and other medium schools including Kendriya Vidyalaya up to Class 10.

Photo credit: Hindustan Times