SHILLONG: Soon after Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the Citizenship Bill, 2016, Meghalaya Chief Minister, and NPP president, Conrad Sangma said that the matter pertaining to breaking its ties with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would be discussed in the party.
Talking to newsmen, Conrad Sangma termed the passing of the Bill as unfortunate saying the Meghalaya Government had vehemently opposed the Bill and the Cabinet had even passed a resolution against the implementation of the Bill.
He said that he would call a party meeting and the matter of snapping ties with NDA will be discussed with the party leaders since the party exists in five North Eastern states
It is learnt that the Conrad Sangma on Tuesday also held a brief meeting with top leaders of the NPP in the Secretariat itself to discuss about the next course of action form the party’s side on its ties with NDA.
On the other hand, Deputy Chief Minister and NPP leader, Prestone Tynsong too said that the move to pass the Bill in the Parliament was an assault on democracy
Reiterating that the party is going to call for a meeting to discuss about its ties, Tynsong made it clear that the MDA Government was unhappy with the move since the Bill had been passed without taking into account the feelings and sentiments of the people of the North East.
He said that the Bill could have had a provision that the North Eastern states would be exempted from the purview of the Bill but there was no such clause in the Bill
“ We will continue to express our discontentment against the Bill,“ he said.
The bill proposes to make minority (non-Muslim) immigrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who have entered India before December 31, 2014 eligible for Indian citizenship.