"Committed To CAA": Himanta Sarma Breaks BJP Silence On Controversial Law

The BJP's political rivals thought - Congress in Assam and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Bengal - have made the controversial law into a key election issue.

Assam Cabinet Minister and BJP's key strategist for northeast Himanta Biswa Sarma today said the party remains committed to the Citizenship Amendment Act in Assam even though it is not at the forefront of the issues related to the coming assembly election in the state. The BJP has built its campaign on the development issue, which it feels have more resonance in the northeast which has carried the perception of being othered by the mainland for decades. "We are committed to the CAA, (though) it is not a poll issue in Assam," Mr Sharma told NDTV in an exclusive interview today. "I think in every place where the CAA question was asked, we have replied. But post-Covid, people do not want to hear anything that would bring back agitation in the street, either for or against," Mr Sarma said. "There is no space in people's mind on CAA or any debate on that," he added.