From Our Correspondent
GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal assured the indigenous literary organisations on Tuesday that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill would not readily pave the way for influx of foreigners to the state.
“Foreigners won’t flock the state in hordes after passing of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016,” assured Sonowal during his meeting with literary bodies of the state on Tuesday.
Sonowal met the representatives of Asam Sahitya Sabha and literary bodies of other indigenous communities to explain the state government’s stand on the bill and other relevant issues, according to an official source.
He assured that that rights of the indigenous people over land and language, local bodies, panchayat, employment opportunities will be protected with proper implementation of Clause 6 of Assam Accord.
The CM stated, “Misinformation and rumours have been spread by various agencies in the society that foreigners in hordes will flock the state after the passing of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill which is false.”
Calling on Asam Sahitya Sabha and all indigenous bodies to make the people aware about correct ramifications of the bill and Clause 6 implementation, Sonowal asserted that language and culture of indigenous people would not be allowed to be threatened as the government is committed to safeguard their interests.
Claiming that a false picture has been projected of the bill being anti Assam, Sonowal said that the state government was made up of sons of the soil, which is committed to uphold the interest of the local people.
“That is why the government is giving land pattas to the landless indigenous people of state and taking all necessary steps to sustain the indigenous people’s control over land and culture of the state,” he said.
