SHILLONG: Two regional forces in the North East, the National People’s Party (NPP) and the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), have decided to work together to oppose the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.
A delegation led by AGP president Atul Bora met Meghalaya Chief Minister and NPP president Conrad Sangma on Friday at his residence in Tura and unanimously decided to chalk out a joint strategy to oppose the bill.
The meeting discussed at length the threat the bill can pose to the indigenous communities in the North East.
The AGP recently snapped its ties with the BJP-led government in Assam in protest against the BJP-led NDA government’s attempt to get the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, enacted.
Sangma lauded the strong stand taken by the AGP even as he underlined the need for a united stand by all states in the region against the bill.
“The bill will not only jeopardise the identity of the indigenous people of Assam and other states in the North East but will also bypass the historical Assam Accord,” said Bora.
NPP too has strongly opposed the approval of the bill in the Lok Sabha despite the party being an ally of the BJP-led NDA and NEDA. The BJP is also a partner in the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government.
Bora said the ongoing process of updating of the National Register of Citizens “will also be affected if the bill is implemented”.
The other members in the AGP delegation were Keshab Mahanta, Birendra Prasad Baishya, Pradip Hazarika, Phani Bhusan Choudhury, Kamala Kalita and Ramendra Narayan Kalita.
KSU meeting
The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), which is affiliated to the North East Students’ Organisation (NESO), will hold a public meeting at Jaiaw parking lot in Motphran at 12 noon on January 30.
In a statement issued here, Thabah said the public meeting is as per the directions of NESO.
The union has appealed to the public to participate in the meeting. The KSU and NESO have also appealed to Garo community to join in the public meeting.
The union has appealed to former members of other local organisations to join hands for the public rally.
Prior to the public meeting, a rally will be held from office of the KSU, Jaiaw Chapel Road till the parking lot in Motphran.
