GUWAHATI: Former Assam chief minister and chief adviser of Asom Gana Parishad, Prafulla Kumar Mahanta has warned the Centre not to go ahead with the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB), 2016, keeping in mind the “democratic appeal” by 11 regional parties of the Northeast against the contentious legislation and the interests of the indigenous people of the region.
A meeting of Northeast regional parties convened by Meghalaya chief minister, Conrad K Sangma here on Tuesday had resolved to meet the President and Prime Minister besides forming a committee to reach out to other parties across the country and garner support against the Bill.
Addressing the media here on Thursday, Mahanta said that in sync with the resolutions taken at the 11-party meet, a delegation of regional parties, including AGP, would go to New Delhi on Friday to apprise the President and Prime Minister on the resolutions taken against the Bill and request the Centre not to go ahead with the Bill.
The veteran AGP leader appealed to the organisations and people of Assam to oppose the Bill, “the passage of which would alter the demography of Assam and allow as many as 1.90crore migrants from Bangladesh to enter the state and “reduce the indigenous people to minorities.”
The Centre intends to pass the Bill during the current session of Parliament.
“The Centre has been unable to provide data on persecuted minorities in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Even if there have been such instances, it has not even been raised in the United Nations,” Mahanta said.
“The government should along with CAB also scrap the two notifications of 2015, which facilitates the entry of foreign nationals and helps them attain citizenship,” he added.
He however clarified that till date there has been no discussion about the formation of a regional alliance by like-minded parties.
Asked if AGP would give a rethink on stitching the alliance with BJP-led government in Assam in the event of CAB not being passed in Rajya Sabha, he said, “The question of such a situation in any eventuality does not arise.”
The veteran leader also answered in the negative when asked about any alliance with Congress which is also opposing CAB. “The AGP is a regional party, so again, that question does not arise.”
Terming the attack on AASU activists allegedly by BJP workers inside a jail in Nalbari as unfortunate, he warned the ruling party not to instigate/provoke organisations that are taking up an anti-CAB stand to protect indigenous interests.
“The attack on a BJP leader in Tinsukia, which we assume was a counter to the Nalbari incident, is also unfortunate. The ruling party workers should refrain from acts of instigation,” the AGP leader said.