BJP leader hints at CAB being put on back burner

SHILLONG: The national secretary of BJP Scheduled Tribe Morcha, Hayithung Bill Lotha, has hinted that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill may be shelved by the Centre due to protest by North East leaders, especially Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Lotha said, “The good news is that the BJP-led NDA government has not officially listed the CAB in the Rajya Sabha agenda list in this current budget session which will be the last parliamentary session before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. So, North East can heave a sigh of relief and the fruit of labour and struggle against CAB is visible.”
Lotha referred to a series of meetings of regional parties, which were initiated by Conrad in Guwahati and Delhi.
According to him, even before the CAB was passed in the Lok Sabha on January 8, Conrad and AGP leaders were continuously meeting central leaders to register their protest against the bill.
He also referred to the protests by the pressure groups and political parties against the CAB.
Lotha said in the recent meeting, the North East leaders secured the support of more than 10 national and regional party leaders in New Delhi like JD(U), Shiv Sena, LJP, Akali Dal, Trinamool Congress, BJD and others and all of them have given assurance and commitment to oppose the CAB in the Upper House if it is ever tabled.