SHILLONG, JAN 18: The BJP-led NDA government at the Centre will soon hold a meeting with all the chief ministers of the North Eastern states following the vehement opposition against the passing of the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016 in the region.
This was informed by the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to a delegation of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government led by chief minister Conrad Sangma which met him to seek his intervention in New Delhi on Friday.
Sangma was accompanied by deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong, cabinet ministers and legislators of the coalition partners.
The six-party Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government had also passed a cabinet resolution in opposition against the Citizenship Amendment Bill, which seeks to provide Indian citizenship to immigrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, last year.
“We have expressed our concern and the concerns of different political parties, civil societies and public in general about the citizenship bill, which is not acceptable to the region and we have asked the government to reconsider (its decision),” Sangma said after the meeting.
Stating that the MDA is demanding the scrapping of the bill, the chief minister said, “We have asked the government not to go ahead with it at this moment as modification is something which is not there on the card.”
Asked, Sangma said the union home minister while assuring the delegation to look into the matter has also informed that he is planning to call all the chief ministers of the North East region for a meeting to discuss on the issue.
What if the Centre goes ahead in passing the bill, Sangma said, “We will take a decision when the time comes as we are still in discussion with them and it will not be correct time to comment on that. We hope the government will reconsider its decision.”
He also admitted the need for the North East states to stand united against the citizenship bill.
Meanwhile, Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga also met the union home minister and expressed similar concern and opposition against the citizenship bill during the meeting.
By Our Reporter
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