GUWAHATI: Assam minister Keshab Mahanta has reiterated that Asom Gana Parishad will opt out of power if the Assam Accord is violated even as the Sarbananda Sonowal government was yet to take a stand on the Citizenship (Amendement) Bill 2016.
“Our party (AGP) has already made its stand clear that it was opposed to a legislation that goes against the people of the state. So, we would reiterate that AGP will not remain an ally in the state government if the provisions of the Assam Accord are violated,” Mahanta told reporters during the mass hunger strike organised by All Assam Students’ Union along with 28 indigenous organisations of the state here on Tuesday.
Mahanta, along with Atul Bora, another minister from the regional party, took part in the 11-hour protest against the proposed legislation.
Both the AGP leaders had last week met Union home minister, Rajnath Singh in New Delhi and submitted a memorandum against the legislation.
Singh however has spoken in favour of the Bill during an interview with a national media organisation.
Asked about Centre’s apparent pro-Bill stand, Bora said that his party would make all efforts to see that the proposed legislation is withdrawn.
“The anti-Bill agitation will definitely be a message to the central government that the people of Assam are united against the proposed legislation. So we are making all efforts to see that the Centre understands what the people of the state want and what it needs to do,” the minister said.
Bora had made his party’s stand clear during the NEDA convention attended by BJP national president, Amit Shah here earlier this month.
Members of the civil society, NGOs, intellectual and artistes from various fields