wl-3324-Lost in spontaneity: Revisiting the decline of the Anti-CAA Protests in Assam

Assam displayed a marked contrast between the time when the CAA was passed in the Parliament in 2019 and when the law was actually implemented in 2024. But few political observers were surprised when the CAA failed to provoke any popular resistance in 2024. This commentary extends the conversation on the reasons behind the demise of the protests. While the triumph of Hindutva identity politics and economic populism manifested in the beneficiary schemes have been credited for offsetting the anti-CAA resistance electorally, the role of a collective memory shaped by a history of political violence and militarism has gone unanalysed. This can only be done with a close and sympathetic reading of vernacular media narratives. The commentary then briefly outlines ideological and structural issues regarding the anti-CAA protests. Building on these observations, it delineates why the anti-CAA protests did not resurface at the eve of the law’s implementation. Finally, the commentary concludes by exploring future portends for the law in Assam.