Assam Protests Erupt Over India’s New Immigration Policy and CAA Extension

Guwahati, September 3, 2025 – The Indian government’s recent Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) Order, 2025 has sparked widespread unrest in Assam, with protests intensifying over the extension of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) deadline to December 31, 2024. The new policy grants exemptions from passport, travel document, or visa requirements for persecuted individuals from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, while also facilitating Indian citizenship for Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians from these countries who entered India before the revised deadline.The order further extends exemptions to Indian citizens returning from Nepal and Bhutan, with provisions for Nepali and Bhutanese citizens to apply for Indian citizenship under specific conditions. Aimed at addressing humanitarian concerns and streamlining entry and exit processes, the policy has reignited tensions in Assam, where many view it as a threat to the state’s cultural and demographic identity.The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) has vehemently opposed the move. In a press conference in Sivasagar, AASU General Secretary Samiron Phukan called the policy an “insult to Assam’s sentiments, ” stating, “Assam has borne the burden of foreigners for over two decades. This decision undermines our unique environment and interests. We rejected CAA earlier, and we reject this too.” Phukan demanded the immediate withdrawal of the order and warned of “strong resistance” if Assam is not exempted from CAA’s purview. AASU has already launched statewide satyagraha protests to oppose the policy.Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly, Debabrata Saikia, echoed these sentiments in a four-page letter to AASU’s president. Labeling CAA a violation of the Assam Accord, Saikia urged the organization to lead a robust resistance against the law, further amplifying calls for statewide protests.The policy’s extension of the CAA deadline from December 31, 2014, to December 31, 2024, has deepened public discontent, with various organizations and citizens viewing it as a challenge to Assam’s cultural and ethnic fabric. As protests gain momentum, Assam braces for further demonstrations against the central government’s decision.