GUWAHATI: Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), an ally in the Sarbananda Sonowal-led BJP government on Tuesday made its stand clear against the proposed Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, saying that “under no circumstances” will the Centre be allowed to pass the Bill and that the spirit of the Assam Accord should be respected.
The regional party also took out a rally in the heart of the city to protest against the on a day when over 60 state organisations had observed a 12-hour Assam bandh to voice its united stand against the Bill, which seeks to grant refuge and citizenship to persecuted minorities from neighbouring countries.
Thousands of party workers and people took part in the rally from Latasil playground to AEI playground at Chandmari hours before the joint parliamentary committee (JPC) members sat in New Delhi to take opinions from central ministry officials.
A delegation of the regional party had met JPC chairman, Rajendra Agarwal at Meerut on Sunday in Meerut ahead of the panel’s crucial meeting on the Bill.
The delegation led by the party’s president, Atul Bora also submitted a memorandum against the Bill to the JPC chairman.
AGP leader and Assam water resource minister, Keshab Mahanta said that the party “under no circumstances” will allow the Centre to pass the Bill.
“We will not allow the Centre to pass the Bill. We can never support anything that goes against the Assamese people,” he said.
The AGP had threatened to walk out of the ruling coalition in Assam time and again if the Bill were to be passed in Parliament.
“We have already made our stand clear on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. We will fight against the Bill till the end. Before preparing the report, the joint parliamentary committee needs to revisit Assam as the views of the people in Upper, central and lower Assam regarding the Bill have not been taken,” Bora said.